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Section 11.07

Design Standards

Adopted July 27, 2026

1. Greenbelts. A greenbelt shall be planted or preserved along public rights-of-way, private road easements, and designated frontage roads and access drives. The greenbelt is intended to provide a transition between the roadway and an existing or proposed land use. Greenbelts shall be provided in accordance with the following requirements: a. The width of the greenbelt shall be thirty-five (35) feet in residential districts and ten (10) feet in nonresidential districts. b. Greenbelts shall include only living materials and planting beds, except for approved sidewalks, bike paths, signs, driveways, and essential services. c. Where sidewalks are located within the greenbelt, plant material shall be provided on each side of the pathway to provide visual and physical separation between the vehicular and pedestrian circulation. d. The greenbelt shall contain a minimum of one (1) canopy tree and six (6) upright shrubs per thirty (30) linear feet, or fraction thereof, of street frontage including any openings for driveways, pathways, or easements. The Planning Commission may approve the substitution of evergreen trees for up to fifty percent (50%) of the required canopy trees when appropriate in consideration of the land use and existing character of adjacent uses. A hedgerow with upright shrubs planted four (4) to five (5) feet on center along the entire road frontage may also be utilized. e. Ornamental trees may be used to diversify greenbelt planting requirements, provided two (2) ornamental trees shall be provided for each one (1) required canopy tree. f. Greenbelt plantings shall be arranged to simulate a natural setting such as massing or staggered rows, except where the Planning Commission finds a more formal arrangement would be consistent with the established character of the area. g. Greenbelts shall be designed to ensure adequate sight visibility for motorists, adequate clearance for pedestrians and vehicles, clearance from overhead utility lines, adequate separation from underground utilities, and accessibility to fire hydrants. Where such conditions prohibit full compliance, the Planning Commission may adjust the location of the required materials so as long as the design intent is met.
2. Parking Lot Landscaping. Parking lot landscaping shall be provided in accordance with the following standards: a. Landscaping shall be dispersed evenly throughout the parking lot in order to break up large expanses of pavement and assist with vehicular and pedestrian flow. b. At least one
1. (1) canopy tree shall be provided per eight
2. (8) parking spaces provided. c. All of the required parking lots trees shall be placed within the parking lot envelope as described by the area including the parking lot surface and extending outward ten
3. (10) feet from the edge of the parking lot. d. A minimum of one-third (1/3) of the trees shall be placed within parking islands located inside the perimeter of the parking lot. e. Parking lot islands shall be curbed and be at least one hundred
4. (100) square feet in area. Islands within parking lots having less than 100 spaces may be a minimum of ten (10) feet in width, parking areas with more than one hundred (100) spaces shall have islands at least twenty (20) feet in width. The depth of the island shall be two (2) feet shorter than an adjacent parking space. f. Only trees, shrubs, grass or other living ground cover shall be used within parking lot islands. g. The design and layout of the parking lots shall provide appropriate pedestrian circulation and connections to perimeter pedestrian connections.
3. Buffer Zones a. A buffer shall be provided between the subject site and all adjacent properties, developed or undeveloped, in accordance with the table on the following page. b. The Planning Commission shall use the table as the minimum requirements necessary and determine whether landscaping, a wall, a berm, or combination of these elements are needed to attain the intended screening.

c. The use of canopy trees and associated understory are encouraged while walls and berms are discouraged. d. Buffer zones shall include only living materials and planting beds, except for approved sidewalks, bike paths, signs, driveways, and essential services.

Buffer Zone A 1. 30-foot minimum width 2. along the property line with two (2) canopy trees and four (4) shrubs or one (1) canopy tree, one (1) evergreen and four (4) shrubs per twenty (20) linear feet, rounded upward 3. and including a wall, berm or combination of these elements as determined by the Planning Commission Buffer Zone B 1. 10-foot minimum width 2. along the property line with one (1) canopy trees and four (4) shrubs or one (1) evergreen and four (4) shrubs per twenty (20) linear feet, rounded upward

a. Residential adjacent to Residential = Buffer Zone A b. Residential adjacent to all other districts = Buffer Zone B c. Commercial adjacent to Commercial = Buffer Zone A d. Commercial adjacent to all other districts = Buffer Zone B e. Industrial adjacent to Industrial = Buffer Zone A f. Industrial adjacent to Commercial = Buffer Zone B 3. Detention/Retention Pond Landscaping. Ponds shall be located outside required setbacks and designed to provide a natural appearance. Detention and retention ponds shall be provided in accordance with the following standards: a. Side slopes shall be such that the perimeter of the pond shall not need to be fenced. b. The sides of the pond must be undulating to avoid an “engineered” appearance. c. One

(1) canopy or evergreen tree and ten
(10) shrubs are required per fifty
(50) feet of pond perimeter, as measured along the top of the bank elevation. The required

landscaping shall be planted in a random pattern, not limited to the top of the pond bank. d. Wild grasses and wetland plantings should be utilized on the side slopes and bottom of the pond to give it a more natural appearance, minimize on-going maintenance, and provide improved filtering of sediments. e. Where a natural landscape is found not to be particular or desirable the Planning Commission may require some type of decorative fencing. 4. Interior Site Landscaping. Site landscaping shall be located near building entrances, along building foundations, along pedestrian walkways, near service areas or as landscaped plazas. 5. Residential and Site Condominium Developments. Landscaping for single-family and multiple-family residential developments shall be provided in accordance with the following requirements: a. Street trees shall be provided at a rate of one

(1) tree per forty
(40) linear feet of frontage, or thereof, along all interior roads. The Planning Commission may determine that existing trees preserved within ten (10) feet of the road edge may fulfill the street tree requirement for that portion of the road. Trees should generally be planted between the sidewalk and road curb, in consideration of intersection sight distance. b. The landscape plan shall also include details of the cul-de-sac islands, project entrances, accessory buildings and common open space areas. 6. Right-of-Way Landscaping. Public rights-of-way shall be planted with grass or other suitable living plant material and maintained by the owner or occupant of the property. Trees and shrubs may be planted within the right-of-way with permission from the appropriate authority with jurisdiction over the street. 7. Accessory Site Components. In addition to required screens or walls, site elements such as waste receptacles, air conditioner units, utility boxes and other similar components shall be appropriately screened with plant material.