Chapter 1.18

Landscaping, Buffering, and Fencing Regulations

SECTIONS:
1.18.005 Purpose.
1.18.010 Landscaping, Buffering, and Fencing Improvements Required.
1.18.015 General Landscape Provisions.
1.18.020 Landscaping Plan.
1.18.025 Single-Family Dwellings and Twin Home Landscape Requirements.
1.18.030 Commercial, Industrial, Institutional, and Multi-Family Dwellings Units Landscape Requirements.
1.18.035 Required Buffer Width and Improvements.
1.18.040 General Fencing Provisions.
1.18.045 Clear Vision Triangle.

1.18.005 PURPOSE.
It is in the public interest to enhance, conserve, and stabilize property values by encouraging pleasant and attractive landscapes and surroundings, providing proper separations between uses, conserving public water resources, and promoting water efficient landscapes. Specifically, these standards are intended to promote the conservation of water, to prevent the erosion of soil and excessive runoff of drainage water, to reduce excessive heat, glare, and accumulation of dust, and to provide privacy from noise and visual intrusions.

1.18.010 LANDSCAPING, BUFFERING, AND FENCING IMPROVEMENTS REQUIRED.
All landscaping, buffering, and fencing requirements of this Chapter shall apply to all newly constructed buildings and any structure that is being expanded.

1.18.015 GENERAL LANDSCAPE PROVISIONS.
The following landscape provisions shall be adhered to by all land uses unless otherwise noted:

A. Park Strips. Park strips adjacent to residential dwellings shall be landscaped and maintained by the property owner whose property abuts the park strip. See Title III General Public Works Constructions Standards and Specifications, Appendix “A” for tree planting and irrigation details.

B. Turf. Turf shall not be installed in park strips or paths less than eight (8) feet in width, or on slopes greater than 25% or 4:1 gradient.

C. Landscape Maintenance. All landscaped areas shall be maintained by watering of landscaping, removal of weeds, the cutting of lawn or any other activities required to maintain healthy and aesthetically pleasing landscaping.

D. Clear Vision Triangles. No landscaping over three (3) feet in height shall be allowed within a clear vision triangle as described in section 1.18.045 of this Chapter.

E. Street Trees. Healthy trees contribute to making Tremonton an attractive and resilient community. Preservation of existing trees and successful establishment of newly planted trees are essential, particularly for street trees and those in highly visible front yards.

1. Tree Selection. Trees shall be selected based on their ability to contribute positively to the urban tree canopy with proper and consistent maintenance. Considerations should include approximate size at maturity, location, and planting area width. Tree sizes are classified as follows, along with their corresponding minimum planting area widths:

a. Large Trees are defined as trees with a mature height of forty (40) feet. Planting area width shall be a minimum of ten (10) feet wide.

b. Medium Trees are defined as trees with a mature height between twenty-five (25) and forty (40) feet. Planting area width shall be a minimum of eight (8) feet wide.

c. Small Trees are defined as trees with a mature height of twenty-five (25) feet or less. Planting area width shall be no smaller than six (6) feet wide.

2. Nursery Stock Specifications.

a. Trees shall be grown in a recognized nursery in accordance with good horticultural practice (American Association of Nurseryman Standards, ANSI Z60.1).

b. Trees shall be healthy, vigorous stock grown under climatic conditions similar to the locality of the project and free of disease, insects, eggs, larvae, and defects such as knots, sun-scale, injuries, abrasions, or disfigurement.

3. Minimum Tree Size

a. Deciduous Trees shall have a minimum trunk size of two (2) inches in caliper measured at ground level when planted.

b. Evergreen trees shall have a minimum size of five (5) feet in height when planted.

4. Street Tree Requirement. Each lot is required to have one tree for every thirty (30) feet of street frontage with a minimum of one street tree per street frontage.

5. Street Tree Adjacencies and Proximity Standards. Trees shall be spaced in accordance with the species’ characteristics such that the trees’ crowns at maturity will not overlap with another tree nor touch or overhang a building.

a. Trees shall be planted no closer to any curb or sidewalk than the following: Small Trees, two (2) feet; Medium Trees, three (3) feet; and Large Trees, four (4) feet.

b. Trees shall be planted no closer than thirty (30) feet of any street corner, measured from the point of nearest intersecting curbs extended.

c. Trees shall be planted no closer than ten (10) feet of any fire hydrant.

d. Only tree species classified as Small Trees in this Ordinance may be planted under or within ten (10) lateral feet of any overhead utility wire, or over or within five (5) lateral feet of any underground water line, sewer line, storm water line, transmission line, or other utility.

6. Prohibited Street Tree List. The following trees are not to be planted on any public rights-of-way in the City:

a. Flowering Pear – Pyrus calleryana

b. Birch – Betula sp.

c. Box Elder – Acer negundo

d. Cottonwood, Quaking Aspen and Poplars – Populus sp.

e. Flowering Plum – Prunus cerasifera

f. London Plane Tree – Platanus sp.

g. Russian Olive – Eleagnus angustifolia

h. Siberian Elm – Ulmus pumilia

i. Silver Maple – Acer saccharinum

j. Tree of Heaven – Alianthus sp.

k. Willow – Salix sp.

l. Trees with Large Fruits – apple, pear, peach, cherry, plum, etc

m. Evergreen Conifers – including but not limited to Spruces, Pines, Firs, Junipers

7. Public Tree Planting. See also Chapter 8-700 of the Revised Tremonton City Ordinances for Public Tree Planting.

1.18.020 LANDSCAPE PLAN.
Applicants required by this Title to make landscaping improvements shall submit a landscaping plan prepared by a Landscape Architect to meet the minimum landscape requirements outlined in this Chapter. All Single-Family dwellings and Twin homes shall be exempt from preparing and submitting a landscape plan. The Development Review Committee shall review the submitted landscaping plan for compliance with this Chapter. The landscaping plan shall include, at a minimum, the following information:

A. Planting Plan. A detailed planting plan drawn to an appropriate scale, clearly identifying:

1. Existing landscaping, including trees, twenty (20) feet beyond the property lines. Specify existing trees and plant materials to be either removed or retained;

2. Location of all proposed plant materials;

3. Plant schedule summarizing botanical and common names, and size of plant materials at maturity;

4. The location and dimension of all existing and proposed structures (when applicable), property lines, easements, parking lots, power lines, rights-of-way, ground signs, refuse areas, and lighting;

5. Specification of ground surface material treatments;

6. Proposed and existing fences and identification of the fencing materials;

7. Proposed and existing grading contours.

B. Project Data Sheet. A project data sheet containing the following:

1. Project/lot size in acres and square feet;

2. Landscape requirement in square feet with the percentage of landscape provided in square feet;

3. Number of trees required and number of trees provided;

4. Percentage of required shrubs/perennials and percentage of provided shrubs/perennials;

5. Maximum allowable turf area and turf area provided.

C. Irrigation Plan. A detailed irrigation plan shall be drawn at the same scale as the planting plan and shall contain the following information:

1. Layout of the irrigation system and an irrigation schedule summarizing the type and size of all components of the system, including manufacturer name and model numbers;

2. Static water pressure in pounds per square inch (psi) at the point of connection to the public water supply;

3. Flow rate in gallons per minute and design operating pressure in psi for each valve and precipitation rate in inches per hour for each valve with sprinklers; and

4. Installation details for irrigation components.

1.18.025 SINGLE-FAMILY DWELLINGS AND TWIN HOME LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENTS.
The following landscape requirements shall apply to all new and reconstructed single-family and twin home residential landscapes:

A. All Single-Family Dwellings and Twin Homes shall have the front yard, side yards, and park strips landscaped within twelve (12) months of receiving a Certificate of Occupancy, unless required sooner through CC&Rs or a Development Agreement. Owners are responsible for determining the type of landscaping, and water-conserving designs are encouraged.

B. All portions of a lot that are not improved with impervious materials must be landscaped within the above-described timelines. Weeds do not qualify as required landscaping. Landscaped areas must be maintained in a neat, clean, and orderly condition, including the removal of litter, proper pruning, lawn mowing, weeding, replacement of dead plants, and regular watering and fertilization of all landscaped areas.

C. Required landscaping in the park strips, front yards, and side yards that are visible from the street shall be comprised of live plant materials with an automated irrigation system. Zero-scape may only be used in backyards that are not visible from the street. Water-conserving designs are encouraged.

1. At maturity, single-family landscapes are recommended to have enough plant material (perennials and shrubs) to create at least 50% living plant cover at maturity at the ground plane, not including tree canopies.

D. The use of artificial turf in park strips, front yards and side yards that are visible from the street is not permitted.

E. In new residential development, no more than 50% of the landscaped area shall be irrigated turf grass and no turf area shall be less than eight (8) feet in width.

F. Recommendations for Water-Conserving Landscape Design for Single-family and Twin Home Residential Uses.

1. Water-conserving landscape design is encouraged. The Localscapes® Program and the Utah State University Center for Water-efficient Landscaping shall be primary references for the design and installation of water-conserving plants and landscapes in Tremonton City.

2. The landscaped areas of the front yard, side and rear yards should follow the Localscapes® process as follows and as detailed in the Localscapes® Program.

a. Create a central open space in the front and rear yards consisting of lawn, hardscape, groundcover, gravel or compacted mulch.

b. Create smaller gathering areas constructed of hardscape placed outside of the central open shape. In a landscape without lawn, gathering areas may function as the central open shape.

c. Fill remaining areas with planting beds composed of water-conserving plants and water-efficient irrigation systems.

d. Locate activity zones outside of the central open shape that are surfaced with materials other than lawn.

e. Provide paths and walkways to link the different areas of the yard together. These should be constructed of hardscape, mulch, other groundcover, or non-lawn materials.

1.18.030 COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, INSTITUTIONAL AND MULTI-FAMILY DWELLING LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENTS.

A. Applicability. These standards do not apply to single-family, twin home, and similar residential uses and are not intended to conflict with other landscape requirements as defined by Utah law, such as stormwater retention requirements and low-impact development guidelines. In the event of any conflict between these standards and Utah law, the requirements of Utah law shall take precedence.

B. Turf. In new commercial, industrial, institutional, and multi-family development common area landscapes, turf areas shall not exceed 20% of the total landscaped area, excluding active recreation areas and detention basins. Additionally, no individual turf area shall be less than eight (8) feet in width.

C. Trees. Deciduous Trees shall have a minimum trunk size of two (2) inches in caliper measured at ground level when planted. Evergreen trees shall have a minimum size of five (5) feet in height when planted. A minimum of one tree shall be provided for every 1,000 square feet of required landscaping area.

D. Shrubs, Perennials, and Planting Beds. All shrubs and perennials shall be a minimum size of one (1) gallon containerized stock when planted that will attain a height of at least two (2) feet at maturity. Planting beds shall have a minimum of three (3) inches depth of mulched wood chips, rocks, or other similar treatment, and shall be irrigated using drip lines and bubblers instead of spray heads to minimize water loss through evaporation.

E. Parking Lot Landscaping

1. Applicability. Hard surfaced parking lots with fifteen (15) or more parking spaces shall provide landscaping in accordance with the provisions of this section.

2. Parking areas shall have a raised planting island at the end of each parking row, with a minimum of eight (8) feet in width and planted with trees and low shrubs or perennials not exceeding three (3) feet in height.

3. A divider median shall be provided at every third parking drive aisle (see Figure 1). The median shall be a minimum of six (6) feet wide and contain trees spaced at 25-30 feet apart and low shrubs or perennials not exceeding three (3) feet in height. The median may be either raised or include curb cuts and a bioswale for stormwater retention. A pedestrian walkway may also be included.

4. Parking areas abutting a public street shall have a minimum fifteen (15) foot landscape buffer incorporating a combination of ground covers, shrubs, and trees (see 1.18.035 REQUIRED BUFFER WIDTHS AND IMPROVEMENTS).

F. Irrigation Systems. All irrigation systems shall be appropriate for the designated plant material to achieve the highest water efficiency. Drip irrigation and bubbler systems shall be used in all landscaped areas except those that contain turf. Drip irrigation systems shall be equipped with a pressure regulator, filter, flush-end assembly, and any other appropriate components.

G. Water-Conserving Landscape Design. Water-Conserving Landscape Design Requirements for Commercial, Industrial, Institutional, and Multi-family uses.

1. General Water-conserving Design

a. Plants selected for landscape areas shall be well-suited to the microclimate and soil conditions at the project site. Plants with similar water needs shall be grouped together as much as possible.

b. Areas with slopes greater than 25% shall be landscaped with deep-rooting, water-conserving plants for erosion control and soil stabilization. No turf grass or overhead irrigation is allowed on slopes greater than 25%.

c. Mulch. After the completion of planting, all irrigated non-turf areas shall be covered with a minimum layer of three (3) inches of mulch to retain water, inhibit weed growth, and moderate soil temperature. Nonporous material including weed barrier shall not be placed under the mulch.

d. Soil Preparation. Soil preparation will be suitable to provide healthy growing conditions for plants and to encourage water infiltration and penetration. Soil preparation shall include scarifying the soil to a minimum depth of six inches (6″) and amending the soil with organic material as per recommendations of the landscape designer/ landscape architect based on the required soils report.

2. Plant Selection. The Localscapes® Program and the Utah State University Center for Water-efficient Landscaping will be primary references for the design and installation of water-conserving plants and landscapes in Tremonton.

H. Required Landscape Area. All portions of property designated for commercial, industrial, institutional, and multi-family uses that are not developed with structures, rights of way, driveways, and parking areas must be landscaped. The required landscape area shall be defined as a combination of trees, shrubs, perennials, mulch, and permeable surfaces. Commercial, industrial, institutional, and multi-family uses are required to comply with the minimum landscaping standards outlined as follows.

1. A minimum of one tree shall be provided for every 1,000 square feet of required landscape area.

2. Required on-site landscaping as a percentage of total site area is as follows:

a. Multi-family Residential and Institutional Uses. Minimum of 25% on-site landscaping as a percentage of total site area.

b. Commercial Uses. Minimum of 15% on-site landscaping as a percentage of total site area.

c. Industrial Uses. Minimum of 10% on-site landscaping as a percentage of total site area.

3. At maturity, landscapes must have sufficient plant material (perennials and shrubs) to achieve a minimum of 50% living plant coverage at ground level, excluding tree canopies.

4. For commercial & multifamily uses, include a portion of the landscape area suitable for snow storage, equal to 10 percent of the landscape area.

I. Completion of Improvements. The completion of landscaping improvements is required before a Certificate of Occupancy can be issued for the associated structure/building. If weather conditions prevent the completion of approved landscaping improvements, an extension period of up to six (6) months may be permitted. During this time, a bond for at least one hundred-ten (110) percent of the total estimated value of the landscaping will be held until the project is in full compliance with this requirement and any approved site or landscaping plans.

J. Large Parcels of Property. Since site conditions and development constraints vary greatly on large parcels of property, the Development Review Committee is authorized to approve Landscape Plans that deviate from strict compliance with the provisions of this Chapter. Property not required to be landscaped with a Site Plan Permit approval shall be required to be maintained.

1.18.035 REQUIRED BUFFER WIDTHS AND IMPROVEMENTS.
Tables 1 and 2 define the standards for minimum required buffer widths and improvements for adjacent land uses. Buffer widths are spaces of improved landscaped areas along property lines. Each zoning district establishes setbacks, which are the distance or amount of space between buildings and property lines. The Development Review Committee (DRC) or Land Use Authority may reduce buffer width when site plan shows extraordinary improvements above the minimum within the site, buffer, or set-back area or enhanced architecture to the building as determined by the DRC or Land Use Authority. Additionally, buffer widths may be reduced by the DRC or Land Use Authority if the Developer dedicates rights-of-ways above the minimum to accommodate intersection improvements, travel lanes, and or pedestrian improvements. Where the combination of land uses are not found in the tables, the DRC shall then determine an appropriate buffering requirement. Required buffers may be crossed by driveways, utility lines, sidewalks, and trails. Permitted freestanding signs may be placed in required buffers. Outdoor sales, displays, or storage shall not be permitted within a required buffer.

REQUIRED BUFFER WIDTHS AND IMPROVEMENTS
LAND USE OR LAND USE ZONE	WHEN ABUTTING	BUFFER WIDTH	IMPROVEMENT TYPE
Industrial	Single-Family & Multi-Family Dwellings	Twenty (20) feet	Type A
Commercial, Multi-Family, Institutional, Religious and Cultural Meeting Halls	Single-Family & Multi-Family Dwellings1	Ten (10) feet	Type A
Interstate 15 or 84	Permitted or conditional uses in a Zone	Fifteen (15) feet	Type A
Parking Areas or Automobile/Implement Sales Area	Property Line	Seven and a half (7½) feet	Type B
Parking Areas	Public Streets	Fifteen (15) feet	Type C
Automobile/Implement Sales Areas not within Central Development District	Public Streets	Fifteen (15) feet	Type C
Major Canals	Permitted or conditional uses in a Zone	Not Applicable	Type D
Railroad Corridors	Permitted or conditional uses in a Zone	Not Applicable	Type D