CHAPTER 20
LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS
2005 Introduction
and Intent.
2010 Promulgation
of Rules and Regulations.
2015 Purpose.
2020 Definitions
2025 General
Landscaping Requirements
2030 Commercial,
Industrial, Office, and Multi-Family Landscaping Requirements
2035 Single-Family
Landscaping Requirements
2040 Tree
Preservation and Protection
2045 Care
of Trees on
2050 Landscape
Plan
2055 Nonconformities
2060 Variances
2065 Rules
and Regulations
2005
INTRODUCTION
These landscaping and buffer requirements are
intended to provide standards that will enhance the general welfare of the
public, increase property values, and improve the appearance of the community
through preservation of trees, and plants in Owasso. Landscaping, including trees, shrubs,
flowers, vegetation, and landscape elements are recognized as effective means
of beautifying and enhancing the livability of the City of
2010
PROMULGATION OF RULES
Upon adoption of this ordinance, the City Manager shall present Rules and Regulations relating to the implementation of the intent of Chapter 20 to the City Council for adoption by resolution. Provided, however, that the City Manager shall from time to time promulgate such additional Rules and Regulations, or changes to existing Rules and Regulations as considered necessary. The promulgation of such Rules and Regulations, in whole or in part, shall require the City Manager to notify the City Council and Planning Commission in writing of the proposed Rules and Regulations and shall require the exact language of the proposal be attached to such notice. Such notice to the City Council shall be published in the consent agenda of a City Council meeting for acknowledgement of Council receipt of the change(s). Upon notification to the City Council and for a period of 30 days, the proposed Rules and Regulations shall lay open and be subject to City Council action to disapprove either in part or in whole. Absent action by the City Council to disapprove proposed Rules and Regulations within the allotted time frame, such Rules and Regulations shall have the force and effect of law.
2015 PURPOSE
The objective of this Ordinance
is to establish procedures and practices governing the protection,
installation, and long-term maintenance of trees, shrubs, vegetation, and other
landscape elements within the City of
1.
To promote the beautification of the City of
2. To promote reasonable preservation and replenishment of landscaping in new developments and on existing commercial and public properties.
3. To safeguard and enhance property values and to protect public and private investment.
4. To provide an ordinance that is reasonable, enforceable, and easily understood by all affected parties.
5. To provide for the promulgation of Rules and Regulations to implement and ensure continuation of the intent of the ordinance.
2020 DEFINITIONS
ARTERIAL STREET
CALIPER The diameter of the tree trunk measured at 6 above
ground level.
DAMAGE Includes any intentional or negligent act that will cause
perennial vegetation to decline and die within three years.
DOWNTOWN The area of Owasso bounded by the Owasso Expressway to
the east; 86th Street North to the north, 5th Avenue to
the south, and Atlanta Street to the west.
GROUND COVER Low plants that grow to form a continuous cover over
the ground, such as English ivy or grass.
LANDSCAPE AREA The area seen from the street that contains grass,
shrubs, flowers, ground cover, trees or native plat materials of any kind and
that may include decorative fixtures or accouterments such as rock, pools, and
planters. Does not
include artificial plants, trees, or vegetation.
LANDSCAPE BUFFER Landscape area required to be provided adjacent
to an existing single-family district in multi-family and non-residential
areas.
LANDSCAPED EDGE Landscape area required to be provided adjacent
to a street or highway in multi-family and non-residential areas.
LANDSCAPING Any living organic plant material including trees,
shrubs, flowers, ground cover, vegetation, vines or grass.
MAINTENANCE In reference to landscaping includes irrigating,
pruning, mulching, mowing, spraying, fertilizing,
propping, bracing, treating for disease or injury, and any other similar acts
that promote the life, growth, health or beauty of the landscape vegetation.
SHRUB A bushy, woody plant, usually with several permanent stems
and usually not over ten feet high at its maturity.
2025 General Landscaping
Requirements
These standards shall apply to
all areas where landscaping is required by this ordinance.
1.
Required landscaping shall not include artificial
plants, trees, or other artificial vegetation.
2.
Landscaping shall not obstruct pedestrian and/or
vehicular traffic visibility at street intersections or at access points to
streets.
3.
All required plant material shall be maintained in a
healthy and growing condition, and must be replaced if damaged, destroyed, or
removed.
4.
Landscaped areas shall be kept free of trash, litter,
and weeds.
5.
The list of suggested trees and discouraged trees shown
in Appendix A attached hereto, are provided for
guidance and will not be used as requirements in the site plan review process.
6.
The Community Development Director or his/her designee
may lessen the requirements of this ordinance for a development when it is
determined that the development complies with the intent of this ordinance and
is taking appropriate steps to provide landscaping.
7.
No site plan submitted to the Planning Commission prior
to the effective date of this ordinance shall be required to conform to the
landscaping requirements of this ordinance.
2030 Commercial, Industrial,
Office and Multi-family Landscaping Requirements
These standards shall apply to
all commercial, industrial, office, and multi-family zoning districts.
Landscaping along street
right-of-way:
A landscaped edge shall be
provided adjacent to all frontage roads, arterial streets, collector streets,
and local streets. The landscaped edge
shall be a minimum depth of ten feet.
Within the landscaped edge, one tree shall be planted per 50 linear feet
of landscaped edge. The number of
required trees shall be calculated solely on the linear frontage of the
required landscaped edge. Trees may be
grouped together or evenly spaced. Four
shrubs shall be counted as the equivalent of one tree up to a point equaling
50% of the required number of trees.
For developments in the downtown,
one tree shall be planted per 50 linear feet of street frontage. Trees may be grouped together or evenly
spaced. Four shrubs shall be counted as
the equivalent of one tree up to a point equaling 50% of the required number of
trees. No specific width of landscaped
edge shall be required for developments in the downtown. The downtown area is bounded by
Landscaping as a buffer between
landscaping-required developments and existing single-family developments:
For all new commercial,
industrial, office and multi-family developments, a landscaped buffer shall be
provided adjacent to all existing single-family residential developments. The landscaped buffer shall be a minimum
depth of twenty feet. Within the
landscaped buffer, one tree shall be planted per 30 linear feet of landscaped
buffer. The number of required trees
shall be calculated solely on the linear frontage of the required landscaped
buffer. Trees may be grouped together or
evenly spaced. Four shrubs shall be
counted as the equivalent of one tree.
2035 Single-Family Landscaping Requirements
A landscape plan is required for the arterial entrance(s) to a single-family residential subdivision. The location and types of landscaping shall be reviewed by the Technical Advisory Committee to ensure that motorists visibility is not threatened and that utility lines are not encroached upon. All landscaping shown on the approved landscape plan shall be planted prior to the issuance of any final inspection for a dwelling unit within the subdivision. A homeowners association shall be required to provide perpetual maintenance of the landscaped area.
2040 Tree Preservation and
Protection
The purpose of this section is to
establish incentives for the preservation of existing trees within the City of
Tree Preservation Credits For
every large, mature tree (8 caliper or larger) preserved in an area where
landscaping is required by this ordinance, the developer shall be given credit
for two trees as required by this ordinance.
Only trees in good condition shall be considered for credit.
Landscape Plan The landscape
plan that is required to be submitted with the site plan shall include the
approximate location, size (caliper and height), condition and common name of
each tree to be preserved for which the applicant is requesting tree credits.
Replacement of Trees
Replacement trees will be required when any tree that was shown on a landscape
plan is removed or dies. Any tree with a
caliper of less than three inches shall be replaced by the same caliper of
tree. Trees that are larger than three
inches in caliper shall be replaced with a tree with a minimum caliper of three
inches.
2045 Care of Trees on
The City shall have the right to
prune and remove trees, plants, and shrubs within the public right of way lines
of all streets, alleys, avenues, lanes, squares, and public grounds as may be
necessary to insure public safety, to preserve or enhance the symmetry and
beauty of the public area, or to protect public utility facilities thereon.
2050 Landscape Plan
Landscape plans shall be reviewed
and approved by the Planning Commission as a part of the site plan review of
all proposed developments. Upon
completing their review, the Planning Commission shall:
1.
Approve the landscape plan as complying with the
requirements of this ordinance, or
2.
Approve the landscape plan with conditions that bring
it into compliance with the requirements of this ordinance, or
3.
Reject the landscape plan as failing to comply with the
requirements of this ordinance.
The required landscape plan shall
contain the following:
1.
The date, scale, north arrow, project name and the name
of the owner and designer.
2.
The location of property lines and dimensions of the
tract.
3.
The approximate center line of existing water courses,
the approximate location of significant drainage features, the location and
size of existing and proposed streets and alleys, existing and proposed utility
easements and overhead utility lines on or adjacent to the lot, existing and
proposed fire hydrants on or adjacent to the lot, and existing and proposed sidewalks
on or adjacent to the lot.
4.
The location, size, and type (tree, shrub, ground
cover, or grass) of proposed landscaping and the location and size of the
proposed landscaped areas.
5.
Planting details and/or specifications.
6.
The location, size (caliper and height), condition, and
common name of any existing tree for which credit is requested shall be
indicated. The method of protecting the
existing trees that are to be retained from damage during construction shall be
described.
2055 Nonconformities
Any landscaped or non-landscaped developments existing prior to the adoption of this ordinance are considered legal and non-conforming. Any new developments placed upon properties within Owasso subsequent to the passage of this ordinance must meet the requirements of this ordinance.
2060 Variances
The Board of Adjustment, upon application, and after notice (when notice is required) and public hearing, may grant variances from the terms of this ordinance only upon a finding that the variance will not cause substantial detriment to the public good or impair the spirit, purposes and intent of this ordinance, where by reason of exceptional narrowness, shallowness, shape, topography, or other extraordinary or exceptional situation, condition, or circumstance peculiar to a particular property, the literal enforcement of the ordinance will result in unnecessary hardship.
2065 Rules and Regulations
Upon adoption of this ordinance, the City Manager shall present Rules and Regulations relating to the implementation of the intent of the ordinance to the City Council for adoption by resolution. Provided, however, that the City Manager shall from time to time promulgate such additional Rules and Regulations, or changes to existing Rules and Regulations as considered necessary. The promulgation of such Rules and Regulations, in whole or in part, shall require the City Manager to notify the City Council and Planning Commission in writing of the proposed Rules and Regulations and shall require the exact language of the proposal be attached to such notice. Such notice to the City Council shall be published in the consent agenda of a City Council meeting for acknowledgement of Council receipt of the change(s). Upon notification to the City Council and for a period of 30 days, the proposed Rules and Regulations shall lay open and be subject to City Council action to disapprove either in part or in whole. Absent action by the City Council to disapprove proposed Rules and Regulations within the allotted time frame, such Rules and Regulations shall have the force and effect of law.