Sec. 24-525. U.S. Highway 41 overlay district landscaping standards.
(a) Greenbelt.
(1) The greenbelt along U.S. Highway 41 shall be a minimum of thirty (30) feet in width and landscaped per the requirements of this section 24-525.
(2) The greenbelt shall be unoccupied except for plant material, steps, walks, terraces, bike paths, lighting standards, signs, and other similar structures excluding private parking areas. Mounding and other innovative landscaping treatments are to be encouraged in this area.
(3) A base-planting unit for each one hundred (100) linear foot increment of the greenbelt shall be required as follows:
a. Five (5) shade trees;
b. Three (3) ornamental trees; and
c. Fifteen (15) shrubs or three (3) evergreen trees;
(b) Planting strip.
(1) A planting strip with a minimum width of ten (10) feet shall be provided adjacent to any collector or arterial street or parkway right-of-way within the U.S. 41 highway overlay district.
(2) Adjacent to an entry drive: Minimum width ten (10) feet.
(3) Adjacent to any parking area: Minimum width as follows:
a. Five (5) feet wide when adjacent to nonresidential zoned property.
b. Fifteen (15) feet wide when adjacent to residential use or zoned property.
(4) The planting strip shall be unoccupied except for plant material, steps, terraces, driveway, and pathway crossings, lighting standards, signs, benches, and other similar structures.
(5) The base planting unit for planting strips shall be as follows:
a. Adjacent to parallel collector, arterial roadways, and adjacent to entry drives: For each one hundred (100) linear foot increment:
1. Three (3) shade trees;
2. Two (2) ornamental trees; and
3. Ten (10) shrubs.
b. Adjacent to parking areas: same as required by section 24-519.
(c) Planting adjacent to buildings along U.S. 41 Highway.
(1) A planting area equal to an area measuring twenty-five (25) feet in depth by the width of the front of the building plus twenty (20) feet (to extend ten (10) feet out on both sides) shall be installed along building facades that face U.S. 41 Highway.
(2) A planting area equal to an area ten (10) feet in depth by the remaining sides of the building shall be installed on all other sides of the building(s).
(3) Sidewalks up to eight (8) feet in width may be permitted in these areas, but shall not occupy the entire planting area on any side of a building.
(4) If an approach driveway or sidewalk cuts into a planting area, the area displaced by the driveway or sidewalk shall be added to the building perimeter planting.
(5) These adjacent planting areas need not be rectangular in shape as long as the required amount of space is landscaped. Innovative and original designs are encouraged.
(d) Planting within parking lots. A minimum of one shade tree and five (5) shrubs shall be planted within each parking lot for every nine (9) spaces provided, or not less than eighteen (18) trees per acre of parking. See section 24-521(4) for minimum planting area requirements.
(e) Side yard and rear yard landscaping. Planting shall be provided on a minimum of 15% of side yard and rear yard.
(f) Greenbelt buffers. Greenbelt buffers shall be established within required side and rear yards pursuant to section 24-519.
(g) Total landscaping required. Inclusive of the greenbelt, the planting adjacent to the buildings, the greenbelt buffers, planting strip, and the planting within parking lots, a minimum of fifteen (15) percent of the project area shall be landscaped.