17.07.050 Types of landscaping.
A. Type I: Solid Screen.
1. Purpose. Type I landscaping is intended to provide a solid sight barrier to totally separate incompatible uses.
2. Description. Type I landscaping shall consist of evergreen trees or tall shrubs with a minimum height of six feet at planting, which will provide a 100 percent sight-obscuring screen within two years from the time of planting; or a combination of evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs backed by 100 percent sight-obscuring fence. Plant material shall be vigorous growing nursery stock, free of disease, injury, insects, weeds, and weed root and shall comply with standards set forth in American Standard for Nursery Stock ANSI Z60.1-1986.
B. Type II: Visual Screen.
1. Purpose. Type II landscaping is intended to create a visual separation that is not necessarily 100 percent sight-obscuring between incompatible uses.
2. Description.
a. Type II landscaping shall be evergreen or a mixture of evergreen and deciduous trees with large shrubs and ground cover interspersed with the trees. A sight-obscuring fence will be required unless it is determined by development plan review that such a fence is not necessary. The plantings and fence must not violate the sight area safety requirements at street intersections.
b. Evergreen trees shall be an average height of six feet at planting. Deciduous trees shall be the following sizes based on their spacing:
i. One-inch caliper: 10 feet on center.
ii. Two-inch caliper: 20 feet on center.
iii. Three-inch caliper: 30 feet on center.
iv. Three-and-one-half to five-inch caliper: 40 feet on center.
c. Ground cover shall be of sufficient size and spacing to form a solid cover within two years from the time of planting.
C. Type III: Visual Buffer.
1. Purpose. Type III landscaping is intended to provide visual separation of uses from streets and main arterials and between compatible uses so as to soften the appearance of streets, parking lots and building facades.
2. Description.
a. Type III landscaping shall be evergreen and deciduous trees planted not more than 30 feet on center interspersed with shrubs and ground cover. Where used to separate parking from streets, plantings must create a visual barrier of at least 36 inches in height at a time of planting and form a solid screen two years after planting. The planting shall not violate the sight area safety requirements at street intersections or driveways.
b. Evergreen trees shall be an average height of six feet at planting. Deciduous trees shall be the following sizes based on their spacing:
i. One-inch caliper: 10 feet on center.
ii. Two-inch caliper: 20 feet on center.
iii. Three-inch caliper: 30 feet on center.
iv. Three-and-one-half to five-inch caliper: 40 feet on center.
c. Ground cover shall be of sufficient size and spacing to form a solid cover within two years after the time of planting.
D. Type IV: Low Cover.
1. Purpose. Type IV landscaping is intended to provide visual relief where clear sight is desired or as a complement to larger, more predominant planting materials.
2. Description. Type IV landscaping shall consist of a mixture of evergreen and deciduous shrubs and ground cover, to provide solid covering of the entire landscaping area within two years of planting and to be held to a maximum height of three and one-half feet (see definition of ground cover).
E. Type V: Open Area Landscaping.
1. Purpose. Type V landscaping is primarily intended to visually interrupt large open spaces of parking areas.
2. Description.
a. Type V landscaping shall consist of trees planted with supporting shrubs or ground cover. Each landscape area shall be of sufficient size to promote and protect growth of plantings, with a 100-square-foot minimum (see SPMC 17.07.040(A)).
b. Evergreen trees shall be an average height of six feet at planting. Deciduous trees shall be the following sizes based on their spacing:
i. One-inch caliper: 10 feet on center.
ii. Two-inch caliper: 20 feet on center.
iii. Three-inch caliper: 30 feet on center.
iv. Three-and-one-half to five-inch caliper: 40 feet on center.
c. Ground cover shall be of sufficient size and spacing to form a solid cover within two years from the time of planting.
d. Grass is an acceptable ground cover for all areas. [Ord. 378 § 2 (Exh. 1), 1999.]