Morrisville Unified Development Ordinance - April 2019

Article 5: Development Standards Section 5.12. Landscaping 5.12.3. General Landscaping Standards

the consent, standards, or guidelines of the utility provider, easement holder, or the Town, as appropriate.

E. Berms

All berms shall comply with the following standards:

Berms shall be at least one and one-half feet high, with side slopes not exceeding a ratio of three horizontal feet to one vertical foot, and with a crown at least two feet wide. Berms proposed to be placed along street rights-of-way shall be designed and constructed to provide adequate sight distances at intersections and shall not impair safe operation of vehicles. In no case shall berms be located or designed so they damage the roots or trunks of existing healthy vegetation designated to be preserved. Berms shall not be located or designed so as to block or divert a natural drainage flow on to or off of any other land. Installation Before Certificate of Compliance/Occupancy All required landscaping (including ground cover) shall be installed in accordance with the required planting standards set forth in this section prior to issuance of a Certificate of Compliance/Occupancy unless the Planning Director allows delayed installation in accordance with subsection 2 below. Allowance of Deferred Installation a. The Planning Director may, for good cause shown, allow installation of required landscaping to be deferred until after issuance of a Certificate of Compliance/Occupancy. Circumstances that may warrant an extension include, but are not limited to, the following: b. Any allowance of deferred installation shall be conditioned on the required landscaping being installed as soon as practicable after the circumstances warranting deferral cease to exist, but no later than six months after such time, and the provision of a performance guarantee ensuring such installation in accordance with Section 8.1.4, Performance Guarantees. G. Maintenance of Required Landscaping The owner shall be responsible for maintaining, in perpetuity, all required landscape areas and landscaping materials (including berms, walls, and fences as well as vegetation) in accordance with the approved landscape plan or alternative landscape plan and the standards of this section. Required vegetation shall be maintained in a healthy condition and landscape areas shall be kept in an orderly appearance, free from refuse and debris. All required vegetation shall be maintained in their characteristic natural shape and shall not be severely pruned or sheared. Trees shall not be topped or shaped as shrubs. Vegetation that has been severely pruned, sheared, topped, or shaped shall be considered damaged and shall be replaced with healthy comparable plant material. Actions shall be taken to protect required landscaping materials from unnecessary damage during all facility and site maintenance operations. Landscaping materials shall be maintained in a way that does not obstruct sight visibility within intersection sight distance areas (see Section 5.8.6.F, Intersection Sight Distance Areas), obstruct traffic signs or devices, or interfere with the use of bikeways and walkways. F. Time for Installation of Required Landscaping (1) Unusual environmental conditions, such as drought, hurricanes, or over-saturated soil; (2) The inappropriateness of the current season for planting the approved plant species; or (3) Utility work occurring in a proposed landscaped area that is incomplete or delayed.

Morrisville, NC

April 23, 2019

Unified Development Ordinance

Page 5-125