17.145.100 Perimeter landscaping relating to abutting properties.
(1) Where any lot is proposed for commercial, institutional, or multiple-family housing (not including duplexes) and such development would abut adjacent single-family residential development, a landscaped buffer shall be required along all common property lines, within the new development’s lands. The buffer shall be no less than 15 feet wide and consist of at least three rows of plantings that shall be installed in a staggered manner, 10 feet on center. The plant species selected shall attain a height of at least 10 feet at maturity.
(2) Where any lot is proposed for commercial, institutional, or multiple-family housing (not including duplexes) and such development would abut adjacent multifamily housing, the off-street parking or other vehicular use area, where not entirely visually screened by an intervening building or structure from any abutting property, that portion of such area not so screened shall be provided with a hedge that is determined to attain, at maturity, not greater than eight feet nor less than three and one-half feet in height, to form a continuous screen between the off-street parking or other vehicular use areas and such abutting property. This landscaped barrier shall be located between the common lot line and the off-street parking or other vehicular use area exposed to the abutting property. All plant materials shall be installed in a planting strip not less than five feet in width.
(3) Additionally, one tree shall be provided for each 75 lineal feet of landscape barrier, or fractional part thereof. Such trees shall be located between the common lot line and the off-street parking or vehicular use area. Each tree shall be installed within a 25-square-foot planting area, and no dimension of this area shall be less than five feet. Each such planting area shall be landscaped with turf grass, ground cover or other landscape material, excluding paving, in addition to the required tree.
(4) Where the abutting property is zoned or used for nonresidential activities, only the tree provision of subsection (3) of this section with its planting areas as prescribed in this section shall be required.
(5) Not withstanding subsections (1) through (4) of this section, any industrial development shall provide a landscape screen of evergreen trees and groundcover that runs the length of any affected property line as follows:
(a) For property lines abutting residential development, the width of the buffer shall be 20 feet with at least three rows of trees planted in a staggered fashion no more that 20 feet apart on center.
(b) For property lines abutting commercial or institutional development, the width of the buffer shall be 10 feet with at least two rows of trees planted in a staggered fashion no more that 20 feet apart on center.
(6) See also SMC 17.102.050(3) for developments adjacent to registered farms. (Ord. 1118 § 3, 2002; Ord. 1110 § 3, 2002; Ord. 1032 § 5, 2002; Ord. 1027, 1998; Ord. 929 Ch. 10(K)(3)(h), 1995. Formerly 17.145.110).