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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance Article 7. General Development Standards Section 7.6 Buffer Requirements I. Parking, Storage, or Display No parking, storage, or display of vehicles or merchandise shall be allowed in the required landscape/streetscape areas or on required parking islands. J. Alternative Compliance Permitted Variations to the requirements of this Section may be approved if the landscape/streetscape plan is sealed by a registered landscape architect and approved by the Administrator. Such plans must show reasonable evidence that the requirements as set forth in this Section were used as a guide. 7.6 Buffer Requirements A. Purpose The purpose of buffer requirements, which generally include a buffer yard, plantings, and a fence or wall, is to provide a visual barrier between different zoning districts and to help mitigate any negative impacts of adjacent land uses on developed or developing properties. A buffer should visibly separate one use from another and shield or block noise, glares, or other nuisances. B. Applicability 1. Perimeter buffers shall be provided on building plots abutting developed (platted) or developing (in the process of platting) sites in accordance with the standards of this Section, as outlined in Section 7.6.F, Minimum Buffer Standards. The following shall provide buffers: a. Vacant sites that develop; b. Existing sites when additions, expansions, and/or redevelopments equal or are greater than 25% of the existing improvements; c. Existing sites when cumulative additions, expansions, and/or redevelopments total 25% or more of the existing improvements; d. Existing sites when a change of use intensifies the development in terms of elements such as traffic, processes, noise, water or air pollution, etc.; e. Existing sites with lawfully established non-conforming uses when the use is expanded; and f. Sexually-oriented businesses. 2. Exceptions to the terms of this Section will be made when: a. The adjacent developed use is non-conforming; b. The adjacent developed use is agricultural; c. The Land Use Plan designates the area as Redevelopment; d. The property is zoned P-MUD and the buffer requirement was determined through the rezoning process; or e. Properties in NG and RDD districts. C. Relationship To Other Landscaping Standards All buffer requirements shall be included on a development's Landscaping Plan. Landscaping provided to meet the buffer landscaping standards of this Section may not be counted towards meeting a project's landscape point requirements. The area of a site dedicated to a perimeter buffer shall not be included in calculating a site's minimum landscaping point requirements. 7-39 Unified Development Ordinance 7/3/06 City of College Station, Texas Article 7. General Development Star is Section 7.6 Buffer Requirements D. Location The buffer shall abut property boundaries shared with less intense uses or zoning districts as shown in Section 7.6.F, Minimum Buffer Standards. In the event that a property abuts a less intense use and a less intense zoning district, the more stringent buffer shall be required along the shared boundary. E. Permitted Uses 1. A buffer yard may be used for passive recreation or stormwater management. It may contain pedestrian, bike, or equestrian trails provided that: a. No plant material is eliminated; b. The total width of the buffer yard is maintained; and c. All other regulations of this Section are met. 2. No active recreation area, storage of materials, parking, driveways, or structures, except for approved pedestrian, bike or equestrian trails and necessary utility boxes and equipment, shall be located within the buffer yard. 3. Pedestrian access through a perimeter fence or wall and buffer yard may be provided at the abutting resident's, homeowners association's, or the Administrator's option to provide convenient pedestrian access to nonresidential uses such as commercial areas or schools. F. Minimum Buffer Standards The buffer requirements are designed to permit and encourage flexibility in the widths of buffer yards, the number of plants required in the buffer yard, and opaque screens. Standard buffer requirements are depicted in the table below. ABUTTING' A]tCEL (Use more restrictive of the zoning or the developed use.) .;DEVELOPING USE __ :(Classification) Single-family Multi-Family Non- Residentialt Residential* Residential Single-familyt N/A N/A N/A Multi-Family* 10 (1) N/A N/A Office 10 (1) N/A N/A Commercial 15 (2) 10 (1) N/A Industrial 25 (2) 15 (2) 5 SOB 50 (2) 50 (2) 50 (2) * Includes duplexes. t Includes manufactured homes, mobile homes, manufactured home parks, and townhouses. [number] Depth of buffer yard (1) Fence (2) Wall 1. Buffer Yards a. Buffer yards shall be measured from the common property line and may be located within established building setbacks. b. Where utility or drainage easements or other similar situations exists in the required buffer yard, the buffer yard may be reduced by the width of the easement; however, an additional 5 feet may be required beyond the width of the 7-40 Unified Development Ordinance 7/3/06 City of College Station, Texas Article 7. General Development Standards Section 7.6 Buffer Requirements easement in these situations to allow for the required plantings and fence or wall. All new plantings and irrigation shall be located outside of the easement. The Administrator has the discretion to allow a required fence or wall within the easement. 2. Plantings a. If a fence or wall is not required per the table above, the following plantings shall be installed in the buffer yard: 1) A minimum of one 5-gallon shrub at a minimum of three feet in height per three linear feet of landscaping buffer; and 2) A minimum of one 2-inch caliper canopy tree per 25 linear feet of landscape buffer. b. If a fence or wall is required per the table above, the following plantings shall be installed in the buffer yard: 1) A minimum of one 1.25-inch caliper non-canopy tree per 15 linear feet of landscaping buffer. The Administrator may allow the substitution of a minimum of one 5-gallon shrub at a minimum of three feet in height per three linear feet of landscaping buffer for the non-canopy tree requirement, or may require the substitution to mitigate potential negative impacts of a development; and 2) A minimum of one 2-inch caliper canopy tree per 25 linear feet of landscape buffer. c. All buffer yard landscaping areas not dedicated to trees or shrubs shall be landscaped with grass, ground cover, or other appropriate landscape treatment in accordance with Section 7.5.C.3, Landscaping and Tree Protection. d. Fifty percent of all required shrubs within the buffer yard shall be evergreen. e. Plant materials shall show a variety of texture, color, shape, and other characteristics. Recommended buffer materials can be found in the College Station Plant List or in those listed as appropriate for Zone 8 on the USDA Hardiness Zone Map. f. The arrangement of trees and shrubs in the buffer area shall be done in a manner that provides a visual separation between abutting land uses. Shrubs shall be massed in rows or groups to achieve the maximum screening effect. g. Irrigation is required for all new plantings. h. Existing vegetation may count toward the planting requirement if: 1) The vegetation is in good health and the landscaping plan verifies that it will meet the plantings criteria listed above (non-point trees may count towards a natural buffer); and 2) The vegetation is protected in accordance with Section 7.5.C.2.c, Landscaping and Tree Protection, of this UDO. i. Plantings will not be allowed to encroach into a required visibility triangle for a public or private right-of-way except as provided for in Section 7.1.C, Visibility at all Intersections in All Districts. 3. Fences and walls a. Fences may be solid wood or solid wood accented by masonry, stone, EFIS (Exterior Finish Insulation System), or concrete columns. Walls may be masonry, stone, EFIS, concrete, or a combination of these materials, and shall be finished on both sides (framing not visible). Walls and masonry columns for fences must meet the footing standards prescribed by the Building Code for such structures. Article 7. General Development Standaru Section 7.6 Buffer Requirements b. Fences and walls shall be a minimum of six feet in height and a maximum of eight feet. Walls over six feet must obtain a building permit. When the adjacent property and the buffer yard are at different elevations, the Administrator may require a greater fence or wall height to ensure adequate buffering. c. Fences and walls shall be placed within one foot of the common boundary line when physically possible. In the event that there is a physical constraint that will not allow the construction of a fence on the common boundary line (including, but not limited to, the existence of a creek, access easement, or existing vegetation), the Administrator may authorize an alternative fence location. d. Fences or walls will not be allowed to encroach into a required visibility triangle for a public or private right-of-way. 4. Substitutions a. Existing natural vegetation may be used in lieu of plantings and a fence or wall under the following circumstances: 1) The existing vegetation consists of canopy and non-canopy trees which are shown through a tree survey to meet the minimum buffer planting requirements (non-point trees may be considered) and is of sufficient density to provide 100 percent opacity to a height of six feet; and 2) The vegetation is protected in accordance with Section 7.5.C.2.c, Landscaping and Tree Protection, of this UDO. b. Fences and walls may be substituted with a solid plant or hedge wall that is greater than six feet in height with approximately 100 percent opacity. All shrubs planted for a hedge wall must be a minimum of 15 gallons each. The solid plant or hedge wall must be evergreen and may not be counted towards meeting the buffer planting requirement. c. Fences and walls may be substituted with a landscaped earthen berm if the combination of berm and landscaping is not less than six feet in height from the elevation at the property line with approximately 100% opacity. The berm plantings must be evergreen and may not be counted towards meeting the buffer planting requirement. Berms must be a minimum of four feet in height with a maximum slope of 3:1. Berms in excess of six feet in height shall have a maximum slope of 4:1 as measured from the exterior property line. d. The required height of fences or walls may be reduced if used in combination with an earthen berm or a landscaped earthen berm if the height of the screening is six feet from the elevation at the property line with approximately 100 percent opacity. The berm plantings must be evergreen and may not be counted towards meeting the buffer planting requirement. e. Walls may be substituted with fences if the required buffer yard area and plantings are doubled. f. Walls and fences may be omitted if the required buffer yard area and plantings are tripled. G. Maintenance and Replacement 1. Upon installation or protection of required landscape materials, appropriate measures shall be taken to ensure their continued health and maintenance. Required landscape areas and buffers shall be free of garbage and trash, weeds, pests, and disease. Required plant materials that do not remain healthy shall be replaced consistently with these provisions. 2. All landscaping materials and/or fences, walls, or berms shall be maintained by the owner(s) of the property that was required to install such landscaping materials and/or fences, walls, or berms under this Section. 7-42 Unified Development Ordinance 7/3/06 City of College Station, Texas Article 7. General Development Standards Section 7.6 Buffer Requirements 3. Any canopy tree removed or otherwise destroyed by the willful act or negligence of the property owner, tenant, or contractor shall be replaced by a tree of the same or larger caliper. H. Appeals 1. Appeals of the terms of this Section, with the exception of Section G, Maintenance and Replacement, shall be to the Design Review Board (DRB). 2. An appeal shall be made within 30 days of the date of the notification of the decision by filing with the Administrator a notice of appeal specifying the grounds thereof. 3. The DRB may authorize on appeal alternative buffer standards for a specific property or a waiver to the Buffer Requirements of this Section when such standards or variance will not be contrary to the public interest where, owing to unique and special conditions not normally found in like areas, a strict enforcement of the provisions of the ordinance by the Administrator would result in unnecessary hardship, and so that the spirit of this Section shall be observed and substantial justice done. 7.7 Solid Waste A. Purpose It is the purpose of this Section to establish the guidelines for the provision of solid waste collection in all developments within the City of College Station where curb service will not take place, in order to: 1. Provide for the safe and efficient collection and removal of waste from commercial and residential developments; and 2. Reduce nuisances associated with waste collection containers. B. Responsibility The City shall make the final determination as to the appropriate collection system; however, it is the responsibility of the developer to ascertain the appropriateness of the proposed collection system. Staff will endeavor to accommodate applicants to the extent equipment, efficiency, and policy allow. C. Guidelines The following shall be considered minimum standards: 1. All dumpsters shall be screened. Screening shall be at least as tall as the dumpster(s) and may be achieved through the use of buildings, fences, or walls. Plant materials may be used to supplement required screening. Dumpster screens should be located outside of utility easements. Property owners with dumpster screens located within utility easements are hereby warned that they will be responsible for the replacement of the screens if it becomes necessary to remove them for utility construction and/or maintenance. 2. Multi-family developments shall provide the required pad and screening for one eight- yard dumpster per sixteen dwelling units; 3. Townhomes not served by approved, accessible alleys, shall provide the required pad and screening for one eight-yard dumpster per sixteen (16) dwelling units; 4. The interior clearance (inside the screen) dimensions for a single 300-gallon container enclosure shall be ten feet deep by ten feet wide (10'x 10'); 5. The interior clearance (inside the screen) dimensions for a single (one eight-yard) dumpster enclosure shall be twelve feet deep by twelve feet wide (12'x 12'); 6. The interior clearance (inside the screen) dimensions for a double (two eight-yard) dumpster enclosure shall be twelve feet deep by twenty-four feet (12'x 24') wide; 7-43