Title 18 - Unified Development Ordinance

18.460.220 Master Fence/Screening Plan

1. A.
   Purpose: The purpose of the master landscape/screening plan is to increase privacy, mitigate noise, reduce glare and enhance the aesthetics of the streetscape through the use of fences, walls, berms and professional landscaping to separate residential units from thoroughfare streets.
2. B.
   Required: In any subdivision located within the R-1, R-1A, R-2 or equivalent planned zoning district, a master landscape/screening plan shall be required along that portion of the subdivision abutting an existing or future thoroughfare or super-collector, unless there is a separate tract designated as a hike/bike trail. Such improvements shown on the approved master landscape/screening plan shall be considered a subdivision improvement and completion of the improvements shall be required prior to the issuance of building permits for any lots within the affected final plat covered by the master landscape/screening plan. In cases when the planting of landscape material may be inappropriate due to weather, the developer may submit an escrow payment equal to the value of the landscaping material as outlined in bids from the developer's landscape installer or contractor. Said escrow shall be held by the City until such time as all landscaping is installed per the approved plan.
3. C.
   Landscape Easement: A landscape easement shall be shown on each preliminary and final plat which is subject to these regulations. Said landscape easement shall be immediately adjacent to the public thoroughfare or super-collector right-of-way, where required, and shall be a minimum of 25 feet wide as measured at all points along the thoroughfare or super-collector, where required. The width of the landscape easement shall be in addition to the minimum required lot depth, lot width and yard setback requirements of the zoning district. The final plat and homes association deed restrictions shall contain language as approved by the Director of Planning and Development Services which identifies the homes association as the entity which will have permanent responsibility and authority to enter upon the said landscape easement to maintain, plant, replant, replace, mow, clip, trim, spray, chemically treat, repair, and otherwise maintain any and all grass, trees, shrubs, flowers, plants, fences, and walls. Said homes association deed restrictions shall be recorded with the Johnson County Records and Tax Administration concurrent or prior to recording of the final plat. As an alternative, a separate landscape tract of the same 25-foot dimension and subject to the same language outlined above may be utilized instead of the landscape easement.
4. D.
   Design:

   1. 1.
      Landscaping: The approved master fence/screening plan shall contain the following landscaping materials as a minimum for each 100 linear feet or portion thereof of thoroughfare or super-collector frontage.

      1. a.
         Eight (8) evergreen (conifers) trees with a minimum size of six (6) feet in height;
      2. b.
         Two (2) shade trees with a minimum caliper of two (2) inches as measured six (6) inches above the ground;
      3. c.
         One (1) ornamental tree with a minimum size of 10 feet in height.
      4. d.
         The above landscaping materials may be deviated from provided an alternative list of materials is approved by the Director of Planning and Development Services which achieves comparable screening and buffering.
      5. e.
         For each tree preserved within the easement or separate tract which meets or exceeds the minimum size requirements outlined above and is part of an alternative plan provided for in Section 18.460.220 D(1)d above, a one-to-one credit shall be given against the minimum tree requirements of this Section.
   2. 2.
      Fences/walls: Fences or walls are not required as part of the master landscape/screening plan. In cases when the developer of the subdivision chooses to install a fence or wall the following standards shall apply:

      All types of fences installed by the developer, except wrought iron, split rail or similar see-through fence/wall types must be located one-foot inside the boundaries of the separate tract or landscape easement along the residential lot side of the tract. Wrought iron or similar see-through fences may be installed by the developer anywhere within the landscape easement or separate tract, except they may be no closer than five (5) feet from the right-of-way line of the abutting thoroughfare or super-collector.

   3. 3.
      Berms: Berms are not required as part of the master fence/screening plan. In cases when the developer of the subdivision chooses to install a berm the following standards shall apply:

      1. a.
         The slope of all installed berms shall not exceed three-to-one;
      2. b.
         All berms shall be consistent with good engineering and landscape architectural design; and
      3. c.
         The grading plan for berms within the separate tract or landscape easement shall be consistent with the approved subdivision grading plan and shall be approved by the City Engineer.
5. E.
   Approval: All plans submitted in compliance with these regulations shall be approved by the Director of Planning and Development Services. All decisions made by the Director may be appealed to the Planning Commission in writing within 30 days of the decision.

(History: Ord. ZRR-2698 §21, 2007; ZRR-2343 §60, 2002; ZRR-1945; ZRR-1725; ZRR-1637; ZRR-1610; ZRR-1409 §17.04 & 17.12; ZRR-413)

Effective on: 1/1/1901