Secondary and Cumulative Impacts Master Management Plan - 2014

Article 5: Development Standards Section 5.12. Landscaping 5.12.7. Alternative Landscape Plan

2. Along a development‘s frontage with a pedestrian ―Main Street,‖ one street tree shall be provided for every 30 feet of frontage, or major fraction thereof, and the street trees shall be spaced between 25 and 35 feet apart. 455 3. Along a development‘s frontage with any other street, one street tree shall be provided for every 50 feet of frontage, or major fraction thereof, and the street trees shall be spaced between 40 and 60 feet apart. 456 4. Where possible, small and medium trees shall be planted between large trees to accommodate the canopy growth of large trees over time. 457 5. Where necessary to accommodate utility lines, planned street widening, and streetscape improvements, the Planning Director may allow variations in the spacing or location of required street trees or allow understory trees be substituted for required street trees. 458 A. General The Planning Director may approve an alternative landscape plan where a deviation from this the standards in Section 5.7, Perimeter and Streetyard Buffers, or this Section 5.12, is justified because of site or development conditions that make strict compliance with such standards impossible or impractical. The alternative landscape plan shall indicate how the proposed deviations are justified by site or development conditions and illustrate how compliance with the standard(s) from which a deviation is sought can be achieved to the maximum extent practicable. Conditions justifying approval of an alternative landscape plan may include: 1. Natural conditions, such as watercourses, natural rock formations, or topography; 2. The likelihood that landscaping material would be ineffective at maturity due to topography, placement, or other existing site conditions; 5.12.7. Alternative Landscape Plan 459 6. The potential for interference with public safety; and 7. Other situations where strict adherence to the buffer or landscaping standards in this Ordinance are determined impractical by the Planning Director. B. Submittal and Review An applicant may submit an alternative landscape plan as part of an application for Conceptual Master Plan Approval, Major Subdivision Preliminary Plat Approval, Minor Subdivision Plat Approval, 454 To provide some flexibility, this replaces the current requirement that trees be selected from the Street E Streetscape Design Guidelines to a performance standard that references a list of appropriate trees in the administrative manual. 455 This reflects the current requirement that street trees along the ―Main Street‖ be spaced 30 feet apart, but breaks the requirement into ratio and spacing range standards to provide some flexibility. 456 The current standards do not include any spacing standard for street trees along streets other than the ―Main Street.‖ This adds suggested ratio and spacing range standards that are more lenient that those for the ―Main Street‖ frontage. 457 This new subsection recognizes that as street trees grow, expansion of their canopies will be hindered unless allowed to overlap. 458 This new subsection provides the flexibility to accommodate overhead utility lines and streetscape improvements. 459 This is a new subsection intended to provide flexibility in those cases strict adherence to the perimeter buffer or landscaping standards is impractical. It specifies several common circumstances where flexibility is frequently warranted—including accommodation of underground utilities or easements/rights-of-way, protection of natural resources, small site size, or landscaping nonconformities. 3. Lot size or configuration; 4. Infill development or redevelopment on small lots; 5. The presence of existing utility or other easements;

Morrisville, NC

June 2013 Page 5-129

Unified Development Ordinance - Public Hearing Draft