17-101. The intent of the Gateway Landscaping Overlay (GL-O) District is to enhance the visual integrity of the Kansas Highway 15 gateway into the community; to encourage the use of landscape vegetation within the GL-O District, in particular to visually soften paved areas and to generally enhance the quality and appearance of parking lots and parking areas.
17-201. For the purposes of this Article, the following words shall have the following meanings:
a. Deciduous trees means generally those trees which shed their leaves annually, such as ash, sycamore and willow.
b. Evergreen trees means generally those trees which do not shed their leaves annually, such as pine, spruce and juniper.
c. Ground cover means landscape materials, or living low-growing plants other than turf grass, installed in such a manner so as to form a continuous cover over the ground surface.
d. Landscaped open space means all land area within the property lines not covered by building or pavement.
e. Landscape material shall consist of such living material as trees, shrubs, ground cover/vines, turf grasses, and nonliving material such as: rocks, pebbles, sand, bark, brick pavers, earthen mounds (excluding pavement); and/or other items of a decorative or embellishment nature such as: fountains, pools, walls, fencing, sculpture and geo-block drives.
f. Large trees generally include those species of trees that reach a height of seventy feet (70’) or taller at maturity.
g. Medium trees means trees generally thirty (30') to seventy feet (70’) in height at maturity.
h. Native grasses means species of perennial grass other than those designated as noxious weeds by the Kansas Department of Agriculture.
i. Public street setback means that distance of open area between the street right-of-way line and the building or parking setback line.
j. Shrubs means any self-supporting, woody plant of a species which normally grows to an overall minimum height of less than fifteen feet (15’).
k. Small trees means trees generally thirty feet (30’) or less in height at maturity, including ornamental flowering trees and patio trees.
l. Trees means any self-supporting, woody plant of a species which normally grows to an overall minimum height of fifteen feet (15’).
m. Turf grass means a species of perennial grass grown as permanent lawns or for landscape purposes as distinguished from those species grown for agricultural or commercial seed purposes.
[“The American Standard for Nursery Stock,” in its most current edition, as published by the American Association of Nurserymen, shall be referred to in determining the applicability of the definitions in this section.]
17-301. GL-O District zoning may be applied to any property having frontage upon K- 15 Highway right-of-way and located North of 14th Street. Any such property having GL-O District classification and underlying C-3 zoning shall comply with the requirements of this Article whenever: a. a building permit for new commercial development is applied for; or b. a building permit for an expansion of an existing commercial use is applied for when such permit authorizes an expansion or enlargement of 50% or more of the ground square footage of an existing commercial structure on the C-3 zoned property.
17-401.
a. A landscape plan shall be submitted in support of a site plan or planned unit development. The landscape plan shall be subject to final approval by the Planning Commission. All land areas which are to be unpaved shall be planted with turf or native grass or other appropriate ground cover and receive trees as specified in Section 17-5.
b. Tree Preservation.
1. Development for which a landscaping plan is required shall be designed to preserve existing trees and vegetation to the greatest extent possible and shall seek to incorporate existing stands of trees as well as individual trees. Sensitivity to site grading, storm drainage, and orientation and configuration of parking lots and parking areas shall be demonstrated to maximize tree and vegetation preservation. The intent of these regulations is to recognize the need to alter the landscape during site development activities, while setting out standards necessary to ensure tree preservation to the greatest extent possible.
2. A tree preservation plan shall be submitted at the time of site plan review. The plan shall indicate the general location and massing of wooded areas, areas with dense shrubbery, and isolated individual mature hardwood trees and designate which areas or trees are to be preserved and which are to be removed. The Planning Commission shall review the plan and either approve it or direct the applicant to seek alternative site design to improve preservation of existing trees.
17-501. The planting and minimum size standards for all new plant material set forth in a required landscape plan shall be as set out in this Section. The Planning Commission may modify these standards for good cause shown:
a. Medium and Large Deciduous Shade Trees. Three-inch (3”) caliper, as measured six inches (6”) above the ground as specified by the American Association of Nurserymen;
b. Small Deciduous or Ornamental Trees. Six to eight feet in height as specified by the American Association of Nurserymen, with the exception of true dwarf species;
c. Conifers. Five to six feet in height;
d. Upright Evergreen Trees. Five to six feet in height as specified by the American Association of Nurserymen, except for true dwarf varieties;
e. Shrubs (Deciduous and Conifer, Including Spreader and Globe Tree forms). Size should be sufficient to create an immediate visual impact;
f. Lawns. Yard areas shall be sodded, or seeded, or maintained in a generally mature state, or covered with native grasses or other ground cover appropriate to the location and intended use to provide complete coverage within the first growing season;
g. Ground Cover. Crowns, plugs, containers, in a number and of a quality appropriate by species to fulfill intended use; and
h. Sod. As necessary to provide soil stabilization.
17-601.
a. The intent of this section is to encourage interior landscaping within vehicular parking areas on C-3 zoned properties within the GL-O District, to break up large expanses of pavement, minimize increases in stormwater runoff, and to provide relief from reflected glare and heat, as well as to guide vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
b. Parking lots and parking areas designed to accommodate 15 or more motor vehicles, including lots for the sale or display of autos, trucks, motorcycles, boats, recreational vehicles, campers and similar items, shall include the following as minimum requirements:
1. An area equal to not less than one (1) of every fifteen (15) parking stalls in the parking lot shall be used for interior landscaping. The applicant shall submit calculations demonstrating compliance with this requirement. Planting which is required along the perimeter of a parking lot shall not be considered as part of the interior landscaping requirement.
2. The landscaping and planting areas shall be reasonably dispersed throughout the parking lots. No lot or area shall be required to have more than 10% of its area used for interior landscaping and plantings.
3. The interior dimensions of any planting area or planting median shall be sufficient to protect the landscaping materials planted therein and to insure proper growth. Each area shall be protected by portland cement concrete vertical curbs, or similar structures.
4. The primary landscaping materials used in parking lots shall be trees which provide shade or are capable of providing shade at maturity. Shrubbery, hedges and other planting material may be used to complement the tree landscaping, but shall not be the sole contribution to the landscaping.
5. In those instances where plant material exists on a parking lot site prior to its development, such landscape material is encouraged to be preserved.
6. No landscaping, tree, shrub, fence, wall or similar item shall be placed in zones of ingress or egress at street corners, or in the intersection of a public right-of-way that the Public Works Director or his or her designee determines is an obstruction to visibility, extends into sight lines, or is a traffic hazard.
17-701. All plant material shall be healthy and in place prior to completion of the development which requires a landscape plan to be produced. A temporary certificate from the Zoning Administrator may be issued without the installation, provided exposed soil on the site has been properly stabilized and written assurances are given by the property owner that the approved planting will take place when the proper season arrives.
17-801.
a. The trees, shrubs and other landscaping materials depicted on plans approved by the City shall be considered as required elements of the project in the same manner as parking, building materials and other details are elements of the project.
b. The landowner shall be responsible for the continued maintenance to remain in compliance with all the requirements of this Article.