§ 395-48. Buffering and screening.

The following standards are hereby established to create a transition between potentially incompatible land uses and to reduce conflicts between these uses.

A. 

Applicability. Buffer areas shall be located between uses defined by this section and shall be required in addition to the landscaping requirements of this section. Buffer areas shall be classified as Class A, B, C or D buffer, and shall be required between the following uses (inclusive of on-site parking and loading/unloading areas):

(1) 

Class A buffer. Any development consisting of 10 or more multifamily dwelling units, single-family attached dwelling units (townhouses), or mobile home parks adjoining any residentially zoned district, or residential use, shall provide a Class A buffer.

(2) 

Class B buffer. Any commercial use, office use, institutional use, or any off-street parking facility that is the principal use of a lot, adjoining any residentially zoned district or residential use shall provide a Class B buffer.

(3) 

Class C buffer. Any industrial use, unless otherwise specified in this chapter, outdoor storage areas, utility uses, or agricultural uses, adjoining any residentially zoned district or residential use shall provide a Class C buffer.

(4) 

Class D buffer. A junkyard, recycling center or similar intensive uses shall provide a Class D buffer between fencing and the street line and along all property lines.

(5) 

Other uses determined to be potential conflicts shall provide the buffer class specified by the Borough Council, upon recommendation by the Planning Commission.

B. 

Buffer class standards. After determining the required buffer class, the applicant shell select an appropriate planting option listed below. Plantings are not required to be aligned on property or right-of-way boundaries; rather, the applicant is encouraged to site plantings as necessary to achieve the optimal screening level. Plant materials shall be selected from the plant materials list in Appendix VI.

(1) 

Class A. One canopy tree every 30 feet, plus one evergreen every 40 feet of boundary; or one canopy tree every 60 feet, plus one flowering tree every 40 feet, plus one evergreen every 40 feet of boundary.

(2) 

Class B. One evergreen every 20 feet, and one flowering tree every 40 feet of boundary; or one canopy tree every 40 feet, and one evergreen tree every 30 feet plus one flowering tree every 60 feet of boundary.

(3) 

Class C. One evergreen every 20 feet, plus one berm four feet high; or six-foot high cedar or spruce fencing with one flowering or evergreen tree every 20 feet of boundary.

(4) 

Class D. In addition to required fencing of at least six feet in height, the following plantings shall be provided between the fence and street or property line: one canopy or flowering tree at an average of one tree every 30 feet, plus one evergreen tree at an average of one tree every 20 feet; or one evergreen tree at an average of one tree every 20 feet, plus one shrub every five feet. The Class D buffer yard width shall be the setback specified for the required fence for the individual use in Article X, Supplemental Regulations.

Editor's Note: Appendix VI is included at the end of this chapter.

C. 

Plant materials.

(1) 

Each plant option listed in Subsection B, above, may use any of the plant materials listed in Appendix VI. Minimum plant size shall be as indicated in Appendix VI. The use of native plant species, as indicated in Appendix VI, is strongly encouraged. For reasons of permanency and resistance, a mixing of two or more varying plant materials shall be required in meeting the requirements of this section. Borough Council, upon recommendation by the Planning Commission, may permit other plant types if they are hardy to the area, are not subject to blight or disease, and are of the same general character and growth habit as those listed in Appendix VI. All planting materials shall meet the standards of the American Association of Nurserymen.

Editor's Note: Appendix VI is included at the end of this chapter.

(2) 

Where it is determined that, due to topography or other factors, the buffer classes prescribed in Subsection B, above, do not alone provide an adequate buffer between adjoining incompatible uses, the planting shall be placed upon a berm at a height of three feet to five feet to increase its effectiveness.

(3) 

Existing plantings, woodlands, hedgerows, topography, or man-made structures can reduce or eliminate the buffering requirements if they partially or completely achieve the same level of screening as the planting requirements outlined in this section. This determination shall be made at the discretion of the Borough Council, upon recommendation by the Planning Commission.

(4) 

Existing trees within the required buffer yard greater than three inches in caliper or greater than eight feet in height shall be preserved to the extent feasible. Such trees may be counted towards required plant materials, as determined by the Borough Council, upon recommendation by the Planning Commission.

(5) 

Required plantings for buffering chosen shall not interfere with preexisting overhead wiring or other preexisting overhead permanent structures.

D. 

General buffering requirements.

(1) 

Buffer yards shall be maintained and kept clean of all debris, rubbish, weeds and tall grass.

(2) 

Planting in the buffer area shall be installed and thereafter maintained by the property owner. Required buffer plantings shall not be removed without the prior approval of the Borough. If such plantings are removed, the Borough may require that they be replaced, in kind, at the expense of the property owner.

(3) 

The locations, dimensions, and spacing of required plantings shall be adequate for their proper growth and maintenance, considering sizes of such plantings at maturity and their present and future environmental requirements, such as soil, pH, moisture, and sunlight. The buffer planting shall be so placed that, at maturity, vegetation extends not closer than 1 1/2 feet from any street right-of-way.

(4) 

A clear sight triangle, in accordance with this chapter, shall be maintained at all street intersections and at all points where private accessways intersect public streets.

(5) 

No structures may be placed within the buffer area and no manufacturing or processing activity or storage of materials shall be permitted, except for the following:

(a) 

Landscaped treatments, such as berms, fences or walls which aid in screening and do not conflict with the character of adjoining properties, including drainage, light, and air flow, or block clear sight distance required at intersections.

(b) 

Structures relating to and used for landscaping, such as tree wells, tree guards, tree grates and retaining walls to preserve stands or specimens of existing trees or used for other functional purposes.

(c) 

Roads which provide direct ingress/egress for the tract or lot, including appurtenant structures within road rights-of-way, such as curbs, sidewalks, signs, lighting or benches.

(d) 

Underground utilities.

(6) 

Mechanical equipment, storage structures, garbage and waste disposal facilities, and similar facilities shall be fully screened from view from adjacent streets or residential districts or uses, through the use of fences or buffering planting materials.

(7) 

The applicant is encouraged to install buffer plantings in naturalistic groupings rather than in linear strips, if a satisfactory buffer can be achieved.

(8) 

Where buffering is required, a landscape plan for the new use or development shall be submitted to the Borough which displays all proposed plantings required to buffer the use or development and how the requirements of this section have been achieved on that property for that particular use or development.

(9) 

Where earthen berms are required to provide effective screening, the specified elevation of the berm shall be that achieved after the earth has settled.

(10) 

To the extent possible, landscaping around detention basins shall be naturalized (e.g., clusters of evergreens interspersed with groupings of deciduous tress and shrubs) and designed to blend with the surrounding environment. When buffering stormwater detention basins, trees shall not be planted on the basin berm or dam; however, shrubs may be planted in this area.

(11) 

Buffering standards shall not apply to front yards of lots, except for Class D buffers.

E. 

General landscaping requirements.

(1) 

Any part of a lot which is not used for buildings, other structures, loading or parking spaces and aisles, sidewalks and designated storage areas shall be planted with an all season ground cover approved by Borough Council. It shall be maintained to provide an attractive appearance, and all nonsurviving plants shall be replaced.

(2) 

Plant materials shall be chosen from Appendix VI to prevent soil erosion and subsequent sedimentation.

Editor's Note: Appendix VI is included at the end of this chapter.

(3) 

Landscaping requirements for shade and street trees shall be followed in accordance with this chapter.

F. 

Landscaping requirements for off-street parking. The following standards shall be required for off-street parking facilities having greater than five parking spaces.

(1) 

Raised planting islands shall be located at each end of a parking space row and between every 12 consecutive parking spaces in a row. Planting islands shall be a minimum of three feet in width, extend the length of a parking space, and shall be planted with one shade tree per island, with such trees selected from the list in Appendix VI. Existing trees can be credited toward this requirements if in good condition and located as required.

(2) 

Perimeter plantings shall be provided around all parking areas and shall have a minimum width of three feet. Such areas shall meet the requirements of Class B buffer of this section.

(3) 

Perimeter planting strips and raised planting islands shall be protected by curbs.

(4) 

Surface treatment of raised planting islands and perimeter plantings shall be grass, ground cover, or low-maintenance shrubs, or other Borough-approved plant materials.