4.2 PCSR 02-14-2012REQUEST FOR ACTION
TO ITEM NUMBER
Plannin Commission 4.2
AGENDA SECTION MEETING DATE PREPARED BY
Februa 14, 2012 erem Barnhart, Plannin Mana er
ITEM DESCRIPTION REVIEWED B~/
Request by City of Elk River for Ordinance Amendment to
Section 30-934 Relating to Landscaping Requirements, Public REVIEWED BY
Hearing -Case No. OA 12-02
/ACTION REQUESTED
Staff recommends approval of the ordinance as drafted.
OVERVIEW
During the Visioning process undertaken in 2011, a key goal was to `beautify' the City of Elk River, in
particular the `front yard'; the streets, medians, intersections, commercial and industrial areas of the city.
It was felt that improvement of these areas would improve the perception of the city, and visitors' and
residents' experience. Several action steps were identified under this goal, including "Complete review,
provide recommendations to incentivize improvements/ beautification"
Further, a secondary goal has been to encourage the use of native plants and grasses, both as a
beautification asset and a reduction of areas required watering and maintenance. It is important that
these areas be incorporated appropriately, however.
City staff has reviewed city ordinances, in particular the City's landscaping ordinance as it applies to
commercial and industrial districts, and feels that some modification to the requirements would be
beneficial to the City.
Staff reviewed a number of adjacent cities and their landscaping process. Staff's findings are summarized
in the attached spreadsheet. To better understand the application of these requirements, staff applied
them to three recent projects, including Sportech (industrial), Pizza Ranch (restaurant/ retail), and
Greater Minnesota Credit Union (office).
Case File: OA 12-2
Page 2
Landscaping ordinance
There is no one way to establish planting requirements among the cities. They use a combination of lot
perimeter, building size, lot size, and building perimeter. The application of landscaping requirements in
Elk River, Maple Grove, Rosemount, Big Lake, and Blaine is shown:
Lot perimeter
Land area
Building area
Requirement in:
Elk River
Andover
Maple Grove
Rosemount (C)
Big Lake
Blaine
71 23 33
18 +shrubs + 26 +shrubs
57 +shrubs+ PL PL + PL
71 23 33
135 +shrubs 17 +shrubs 29 +shrubs
80 18 26
120 + 267 27+44
shrubs 18+ 30 shrubs shrubs
The application of these requirements suggests that we fall in the lower end of the spectrum, in terms of
number of plants required.
ANALYSIS
Staff recommends changes to the ordinance as it applies to the number, credits, maintenance, parking lot
design and placement. In summary, staffs recommended changes include:
Credit -Staffs suggests adding a credit for the incorporation of native plant or prairie grasses.
Maintenance -Staff suggests language reinforcing the replacement of trees.
Performance guarantee -Staff suggests language that requires the property owner to request the
return of financial guarantee, which is common practice.
Landscape islands - In parking lot, staff suggests language outlining a minimum ratio of parking lot
islands to parking stalls.
Placement -Trees be installed along the front property line, as a mechanism to canopy the street
with trees.
Number -The tree requirements shall be 3, plus the perimeter of the site, divided by 40. This
represents an increase of three trees per commercial and industrial lot.
ATTACHMENTS
^ Draft ordinance
^ Requirement comparison
N:\Departments\Community Development\Planning\Case Files\OA\OA 12-02 Landscaping Guidelines\OA 12-2 SR to PC Landscaping 2-14-12
final.docs
Case File: OA 12-2
Page 3
Landscaping ordinance
Action Motion by Second by Vote
Follow Up
N:\Departments\Community Development\Planning\Case Files\OA\OA 12-02 Landscaping Guidelines\OA 12-2 SR to PC Landscaping 2-14-12
flnal.docx
Sec. 30-934. - Landscapv~g.
(a) General requirements. The following general requirements are applicable to all districts:
(1) ~ll exposed ground areas surrounding or within a principal or accessory use, including street
boulevards, which are not devoted to drives, sidewalks, patios, or other such uses shall be
landscaped with grass, shrubs, trees, or other living ornamental landscape materials.
(~) ~ll landscaped areas shall be kept neat, clean and uncluttered.
(3) No landscaped area shall be used for the parking of vehicles or the storage or display of
materials, supplies or merchandise.
(4) Undisturbed areas of existing natural vegetation maintained free of noxious weeds need not
be altered.
(5) ~ reasonable attempt shall be made to preserve as many existing trees as is practical and to
incorporate them into the proposed development plan.
(6) Slopes greater than three feet horizontal to one foot vertical (3:1) will not be permitted
without approval by the city. Only under special conditions or unique circumstances will
steeper slopes be permitted. Slopes adjacent to pedestrian systems, inslopes of roadways,
ponding, sedimentation areas, and other water or wetland features may not have a slope
greater than 4:1.
(~ In all multifamily, commercial and industrial zoning districts, the maintained/manicured
landscaped areas shall have inground/underground irrigation systems. Native_prairie areas
need not be irrigated.
(b) Multifamily districts and nonresidential uses in residential districts. Landscaping requirements
fox multifamily districts and nonresidential uses in residential districts are as follows:
(1) applicability of requirements. All properties shall comply with the requirements of this
subdivision when new development or expansions are to occur on these properties, except
for single-family dwelling unit or two-family dwelling unit lots.
(2) Landscape plan. Landscape plans shall be prepared by a landscape architect or other
qualified individual acceptable to the city. Landscape plans shall be drawn to a scale of not
less than one inch equals 50 feet and shall include the following information:
a. The name and address of the property owner and/or developer.
b. The name of the project.
c. The name of the preparer of the plan.
d. The date of plan preparation.
e. Boundary lines of the property with accurate dimensions, and note with scale and
north arrow.
£ The locations of e~sting and proposed buildings, parking lots, public roads,
easements and other improvements.
g. The location, approximate size and common name of existing trees.
h. ~ planting schedule containing:
1. S3mbols.
?. Quantities.
3. Common names and botanical names.
4. Size of plant materials.
5. Root condition specifications.
6. Special planting instructions.
i. Planting details illustrating proposed locations of all new plant material, including.
proposed walls, fences, planters, landscaped islands, and other landscaping-related
improvements.
j. Details of restoration of disturbed areas, including areas to be sodded and seeded.
k. Location of existing wetlands.
(3) Minimum requirements. r1ll open areas of a lot which are not used and improved for
required parking areas, drives or storage shall be landscaped with a combination of overstory
trees, ornamental trees, coniferous trees, shrubs, flowers, and turf or ground cover materials..
The number of trees on the lot, tract, or parcel shall not be less than three plus the perimeter
of the described area as measured in feet divided by 40.
a. Overstory trees. FiftS~ percent of the required trees shall be overstory trees.
b. Ornamental trees. Twenty-five percent of the required trees shall be ornamental
trees.
c. Coniferous trees. Twenty-five percent of the required trees shall be coniferous trees.
d. Additional landscaping. In order to accomplish an adequate buffer, additional
landscaping over and above the required amount may be requested by the city.
e. Minimum size and root condition of trees. Il2iiumum size and root condition of
required trees shall be as follows:
1. Overstorv trees shall be two inches in diameter as measured six inches above
the ground, and trees must be balled and burlapped.
2. Ornamental trees shall be 11/z inches in diameter as measured six inches
above the ground, and trees must be balled and burlapped.
Coniferous trees shall be six feet in height, and trees must be balled and
burlapped.
£ Species.
~ll required trees shall be of species which are classified as overstory,
ornamental, and coniferous trees by the ~rnerican Nurseryman's association.
2. Not more than 50 percent of the required number of overstory or
ornamental trees shall be composed of one species.
3. ~ll plant materials shall be indigenous to the hardiness zone of the area in
which the city is located. The use of drought tolerant plant materials are
encouraged to meet landscaping requirements.
g. Credits
1. for oversizing required trees. The total number of required overstory trees may
be reduced by one tree for each new deciduous tree measuring 4'/2 inches or more in
diameter, or each new coniferous tree measuring ten feet or more in height, which is
planted on the lot or tract In no event, however, shall this credit result in a reduction
in the total number of required trees by more than 25 percent.
Deleted• h
~__._ or existin trees. The total number of re aired new trees ma ~ be offset b ~ the retention -'"
- - - g - --- -- - - -- - -- q- -- - - - - -- -- -- --- -~ -- - ---- - 3 --- - - ------ - - -- Deleted: Credzc
of existing trees on the lot provided that such trees satisfy the requirements of this
section as to size and species. A sliding scale shall be used to determine the amount
of credit for existing trees. Existing trees between four inches in diameter and less
than eight inches in diameter will receive credit for one tree. Existing trees eight
inches in diameter or greater will receive credit for two trees. Credit cannot exceed
50 percent of the total requirement.
3 Credit for decorative gardens native plant communities. The total number of
required trees may be offset bathe provision of native grasses and wildflowers.
Planting or preservation of native~lanting communities will receive credit for one
tree per 500 feet of native grass area. Credits ma,' not exceed 50°'0 of the total
requirements.
h. Purposeh left blank
i. Maintenance. The property owner of the lot upon which required landscaping or
screening is located shall maintain-all materials in a sightly and healthy growing
condition. Trees removed due to damage; disease; or death shall be replaced.
j. Placement of plant materials.
1. lll required landscaping shall be located on the lot occupied by the use,
building, facility, or structures. No landscaping shall be located within any=
public right-of--way unless approved by the city.
2. Plant materials shall be located to provide reasonable access to all utilities.
3. ~t all intersections, sight visibility triangles shall be kept clear of landscape
materials that would obstruct the sight lines ofmotorists at intersecting
streets.
(c) Installation. ~ll landscape improvements required by this subsection shall be installed by the
owner no later than one year after the issuance of a building permit for the subject property.
Replacement of any dead trees, shrubs, ground covers and sodding shall be responsibility= of the
property owner.
(d) Inspection. Twelve months after the date of issuance of a building permit, the city may conduct a
field inspection of the subject site to assure compliance with the requirements of this subdivision
and implementation of the approved landscape plan..
(e) Exceptions and adjustments. Where a strict application of this subsection is not possible due to
unique .topographic landform, irregular lot shape or historic features worthy of preservation, he
applicant may present an alternative landscape and screening plan to the city for alternate approval.
(f) Performance guarantee. If required landscape improvements have not been completed at the
time a certificate is requested for occupancy= of a property=, a financial guarantee to ensure
completion of the improvements shall be supplied prior to issuance of the certificate of occupancy.
The financial guarantee shall be in an amount equal to approximately 100 percent of .the value of the
uncompleted landscape improvements, and shall be released one y=ear after completion of the
required landscape improvements follouuing written request from the propert;= owner. Developers
who have posted a previous financial guarantee in connection with the installation of public
improvements shall not be required to post a separate guarantee, but the financial guarantee shall
remain in place in an amount equal to approximately 100 percent of the value of uncompleted
landscape improvements until all required landscape improvements are completed.
Sec. 30-935. -Landscaped islands in off-street parking areas.
(a) ~ll off-street parking areas shall include unpaved, landscaped islands that are reasonably
distributed throughout the parking area. These islands should be located to break up expanses of
paved areas and facilitate traffic control Islands shall be provided in a ratio of at least one island per
1~ parking spaces.
(b) Landscaped islands shall be equal to the size of a parking stall, at iniiumum. The pre~-ision of
feu-er, but larger parking lot islands is encouraged.
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