§ 138-3659. Non-residential and multifamily landscaping standards.

(a)

Applicability. The following standards shall apply to landscaping for non-residential and multi-family uses/developments.

(1)

Perimeter surface parking lot landscaping. A perimeter landscaping buffer shall be provided around all vehicular use areas. The required perimeter parking lot landscaping may be combined with other perimeter landscape areas (e.g., buffers along streets and/or abutting a residential use).

a.

Landscaping areas shall be a minimum of five feet in width as measured from the edge of the vehicular use area.

b.

Landscaping areas shall include the following minimum plant material:

1.

Three trees per 100 linear feet.

2.

Continuous plantings of at least three feet in height. The continuous plantings may consist of shrubs, plants, and/or ornamental grasses. Plant material shall be spaced a maximum of 30 inches on center.

c.

For buffers that contain overhead utility lines, the requirement for shade trees may be altered to accent trees, and/or Sabal/Cabbage Palms in clusters of three, at a ratio of 2.5 accent/palms for each required shade tree. These trees shall be grouped in clusters of three at a maximum of 12 feet on center.

(2)

Interior parking lot landscaping. The interior portions of each parking areas shall be landscaped pursuant to the following:

a.

Required landscaped area. Vehicular use areas with more than ten parking spaces shall provide interior parking landscaping. Terminal and interior islands and divider medians shall be used to comply with required interior parking lot landscaping.

b.

Terminal islands. Each row of parking spaces shall end with terminal islands to separate parking from adjacent drive lanes. Terminal islands shall be provided as follows:

1.

Each terminal island shall measure at least eight feet in width, measured from the inside of the curb.

2.

Terminal islands shall provide at least 150 square feet in landscaping area.

3.

Within terminal islands, one shade tree shall be required for every 150 square feet (or fraction above half thereof) of the interior parking lot landscaping, with a minimum of one shade tree required per terminal island.

4.

Terminal islands shall be landscaped with shrubs, accent plants, ornamental grasses and groundcover, excluding turf grass, planted to provide 100 percent coverage within two years.

5.

Shrubs, accent plants and ornamental grasses in islands adjacent to parking spaces shall be set back a minimum of two feet behind the edge of the planting area to provide for pedestrian access to parked vehicles.

c.

Interior islands. Interior landscaping islands shall be provided within parking areas pursuant to the following:

1.

No more than an average of 24 parking spaces shall be allowed between islands in order to reduce the overall scale of the parking area.

2.

Each interior island shall measure at least eight feet in width, measured from the inside of the curb. Interior islands less than eight feet in width shall not be credited towards interior landscaping.

3.

Within interior islands, one shade tree shall be required for every 150 square feet (or fraction above half thereof), with a minimum of one shade tree required per interior island.

d.

Divider medians. Parking lots in excess of 250 spaces shall provide landscaped divider medians for a minimum of 50 percent of all abutting rows of parking pursuant to the following:

1.

These divider medians shall be designed to form a continuous landscaped strip between abutting rows of parking areas.

2.

All access drives shall have divider medians.

3.

The minimum width of a divider median shall be four feet, measured from the inside of the curb.

4.

Three shade trees or six accent trees shall be required for each 100 linear feet of divider median (or fraction thereof).

5.

Shrubs shall be planted in divider medians which separate parking areas from access drives to form continuous plantings the full length of the divider median.

(3)

Stormwater ponds and water bodies landscaping. Stormwater ponds and water bodies may be required to be landscaped pursuant to the Pinellas County Stormwater Manual.

(4)

Landscaping fence/wall for non-residential, subdivision, and multifamily projects. Fences and walls shall be landscaped pursuant to the following standards:

a.

Any street-facing fence/wall shall be landscaped with:

1.

Continuous plantings, and

2.

Three shade trees or six accent trees for each 100 linear feet along the fence/wall (or fraction thereof).

3.

These requirements may be combined with other perimeter landscaping areas (e.g., perimeter landscaping along a street).

b.

When a fence/wall is erected within a perimeter landscaping area, any required plant material shall be installed in the following arrangements:

1.

When the fence or wall is located along side or rear property lines, the required plant material may be placed on the inside of the fence/wall.

2.

When the fence or wall is located along a street right-of-way the following shall apply.

i.

Required plant material may be placed on the inside of the fence/wall when the fence/wall is 36 inches or less in height.

ii.

Required plant material shall be provided on the right-of-way side of the fence/wall (but not within the right-of-way) when the fence/wall exceeds 36 inches in height.

(5)

Landscaping adjacent dumpster enclosures. Dumpster enclosures visible from any street shall be landscaped with plantings. This shall not apply to portions of the enclosure with doors or gates.

(6)

Landscaping adjacent to mechanical equipment. Mechanical equipment, such as backflow prevention devices, utility cabinets, and air conditioners, visible from the street excluding alleys shall be landscaped on at least two sides with continuous plantings comprised of shrubs planted no more than 30 inches on center. This requirement may be waived if the screening will inhibit safety, accessibility and maintenance.

(7)

Foundation landscaping. Foundation planting shall be provided along the base of street-facing building facades subject to the following:

a.

Planting areas shall be a minimum of five feet in width as measured from the building edge and outward.

b.

Planting areas shall include the following minimum plant material:

1.

Two accent trees per 100 linear feet.

2.

Twenty shrubs/plants/ornamental grass per 100 linear feet.

c.

The following conditions or features are exempt:

1.

Alley-facing facades;

2.

Areas of ingress/egress;

3.

Patios and paved courtyards; and/or

4.

Similar elements as above.

d.

Where the foundation landscaping requirements conflict with any applicable buffering standards from article IX specific use standards AND/OR the design criteria for the underlying zoning district, the most restrictive standard shall apply.

e.

Foundation landscaping may be designed/construction as LID stormwater facilities.

(8)

Buffer averaging option. Portions of the minimum required perimeter landscaping/buffers may be reduced up to one-third of the minimum width. However, additional landscaping areas shall be provided in other portions of the site to result in an overall buffer width that exceeds the minimum standard.

(b)

All required landscape material shall be provided on the subject site. The following alternatives may be allowed:

(1)

The required trees/shrubs may be planted within the abutting right-of-way when allowed by the roadway facility owner (i.e., local government, developer, or property owners association); AND/OR,

(2)

The applicant may provide a monetary contribution to a formally-adopted tree mitigation fund at a rate established by the board of county commissioners; AND/OR

(3)

The county administrator or designee, may allow applicants to construct and maintain structures with plant material that provide similar shade and vegetation function as a tree (e.g., arbors with vines, shrubs, or similar plant material). In this alternative, the amount of required trees may be reduced based on a near equivalent shade/vegetation function of a tree.

(Ord. No. 18-36 , § 3(Att. B), 10-23-18)