Secondary and Cumulative Impacts Master Management Plan - 2014

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Article 5: Development Standards
Section 5.12. Landscaping
5.12.2. Applicability
June 2013 Morrisville, NC
Page 5-120 Unified Development Ordinance - Public Hearing Draft
F. Improve air quality by removing carbon dioxide and pollutant gases from the air and producing
oxygen that helps dilute air pollutant concentrations;
G. Restore soils and land denuded as a result of construction or grading;
H. Maintain the continued vitality of natural habitats for the propagation and protection of wildlife, birds,
game, and fish and other aquatic life;
I. Limit glare created by exterior lighting;
J. Provide a sense of privacy from neighbors and the street;
K. Provide human scale to urban environments by breaking up the visual impact of structures and parking
lots;
L. Help differentiate streets and other areas of the public realm from private lands;
M. Stimulate economic development by increasing the Town‘s attractiveness and quality of life to shoppers
and employers;
N. Safeguard and enhance property values and protect public and private investments; and
O. Protect Town residents and visitors from personal injury and property damage, and avoid interruption
of electrical and other utility services.
5.12.2. Applicability416
A. New Development417
Except where expressly provided otherwise in this Ordinance, the landscaping requirements in this
section shall apply to all new development in the Town other than temporary uses and structures.
B. Existing Development
Except where expressly provided otherwise in this Ordinance, the landscaping requirements in this
section shall apply to existing development in accordance with the following.
1. Change in Use418
Any change in use that requires Site Plan Approval (Section 2.5.7) shall be subject to these
landscaping standards to the maximum extent practicable.
2. Expansion419
Except as otherwise provided in subsection below, if an existing structure or use is expanded or
enlarged (in terms of the number of dwelling units, floor area, number of employees, seating
capacity, or other size unit), additional landscaping shall be provided in accordance with the
requirements of this section to serve the expanded or enlarged part of the structure or use.
416 Part C, Art. IX of the current Zoning Ordinance is not clear about what development activities current landscaping regulations
apply to. This subsection is intended to clarify what developments are subject to landscaping standards.
417 This expands the current Sec. 2.2‘s exemption of temporary/seasonal events to include other temporary uses and structures.
418 The current Sec. 2.2 exempts improvements not constituting a change in the Building Code‘s occupancy classifications, which
include Assembly, Business, Educational, Factory Industrial, Hazardous, Institutional, Mercantile, Residential, Storage, and Utility.
While those classifications may have significance in respect to building design, they have no obvious relationship to the need for
landscaping. For the sake of consistency and ease of administration, we propose instead that the Ordinance exempt those changes
in use that are also proposed to be exempt from Site Plan Approval—i.e., mere changes in use that do not involve or require
other development (such as expanded structures or additional parking).
419 This clarifies that application of landscaping requirements to expansions of existing development is limited to the expanded
part of the development.