Morrisville Unified Development Ordinance - April 2019

Article 5: Development Standards Section 5.12. Landscaping 5.12.4. Vehicle Use Area Landscaping

Landscaping shall comply with Building Code restrictions on placing or storing combustible materials near buildings. If landscaping materials used to meet the requirements of this section die, are seriously damaged, or are removed, they shall be replaced with comparable landscaping materials meeting the standards of this section within the next six months—or within the next year if the death, damage, or removal of the landscaping materials was due to an unusual weather occurrence or other act of nature (e.g., tornado, hurricane). In determining the extent of replacement required, the Planning Director shall consider the type and location of the required landscaping materials as well as the propensity for natural re-vegetation. All initial and replacement landscaping shall be subject to a two-year performance guarantee that ensures proper maintenance and replacement, in accordance with Section 8.1.4, Performance Guarantees. H. Alteration of Required Landscaping Landscaping may be altered through replacement or relocation by a maximum of ten percent over the life of the development without submittal of a revised landscape plan provided that the overall landscaping remains in compliance with this section. A revised plan shall not be required for plantings that exceed the requirements of this section. A. Applicability Except for driveways serving as off-street vehicle parking areas for bungalow court, pocket neighborhood, single-family detached, duplex, manufactured home, and single-family attached dwellings, the vehicle use areas of developments shall include landscaping both within the interior of the vehicle use area (interior landscaping) and around its perimeter (perimeter landscaping) as a means of mitigating the vehicle use area’s microclimate and visual impacts. B. General To the maximum extent practicable, required landscaped planting areas and shade trees shall be distributed and sited within and around the vehicle use area so as to maximize shading of pavement and pedestrian routes through the parking area. Part of every parking space shall be located within 50 feet from the trunk of a shade tree. Perimeter landscaping and interior landscaping shall be sited and designed for stormwater management purposes to the maximum extent practicable, as long as they comply with these vehicle use area landscaping standards. Perimeter landscaping and interior landscaping may include non-landscaping features such as walkways, light or utility poles, utility lines, and fire hydrants, provided the minimum landscaping width and planting standards for vehicle use areas are met. C. Perimeter Landscaping Where a vehicle use area is within 50 feet of and visible from a street, other development (except another vehicle use area), or vacant property, perimeter landscaping shall be provided and maintained within the strip of land between the vehicle use area and the adjacent street right-of-way or easement or property line in accordance with the following standards, except where such strip is crossed by an authorized vehicular or pedestrian accessway or utility easement. (See Figure 5.12.4.C: Perimeter Landscaping.) Location and Configuration Perimeter landscaping shall be located on the same property as the vehicle use area and placed to assure visibility and safety of pedestrians within the vehicle use area. 5.12.4. Vehicle Use Area Landscaping (Ord. No. 2016-001, 05/10/2016)

April 23, 2019

Morrisville, NC

Page 5-126

Unified Development Ordinance