Morrisville UDO - June 2017 version

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Article 5: Development Standards
Section 5.12. Landscaping
5.12.4. Vehicle Use Area Landscaping
Morrisville, NC June 23, 2017
Unified Development Ordinance Page 5-125
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 , obstruct
traffic signs or devices, or interfere with the use of bikeways and walkways.
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
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.
5.12.4. Vehicle Use Area Landscaping
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.
(Ord. No. 2016-001, 05/10/2016)
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.