§ 17.52.040. Landscaping standards.
The following requirements shall apply when a landscaping plan is required:
A.
Steep Slopes.
1.
Grading that will alter the drainage patterns or create very steep slopes will not be permitted unless specifically advised in the drainage study and approved by the board of trustees.
2.
Steep slopes that are disturbed due to construction shall be reestablished. The method to stabilize the slope shall be stated on the erosion control plan.
3.
Slopes over twenty-five (25) percent grade must be terraced to prevent erosion.
4.
Slopes over ten (10) percent grade shall be landscaped with ground cover. For a listing of suggested ground cover types see the Town of Monument Landscaping Guidelines.
B.
Ditches. If swales are not dealing adequately with the drainage or in the absence of swales, culverts must be provided and maintained by the property owner.
C.
Erosion Control (see also Title 16). In development greater than two and one-half (2 ½) acres, removal of existing vegetation shall be limited as much as practicable by:
1.
Exposing as small an area of soil as possible;
2.
Exposing the area for as short a time as possible;
3.
Marking or erecting barriers to prevent damage from construction equipment;
4.
Provide protection of barren areas with temporary vegetation or mulches during construction.
D.
Existing Trees. The removal of existing trees shall be prohibited except at the discretion of the planning director. All trees removed greater than two (2) inches in diameter shall be replaced by trees of an equal caliper but not to exceed four (4) inches. Trees that are listed as noxious by the United States Department of Agriculture or the Colorado Department of Agriculture can be removed without complying with the requirements of this section. Any tree removal required to implement an approved site plan or subdivision design is exempted from this section. Nothing in this section is intended to prevent the emergency removal of trees during a fire emergency or other natural disasters.
E.
Landscaping Requirements.
1.
Any combination of trees and two (2) or more of the following plant materials shall be installed: shrubs, vines, ground cover, flowers or turf grass.
a.
The installed plant materials shall be selected from the Town of Monument Landscape Guidelines unless otherwise approved by the planning director; with those requiring the least water being recommended. Artificial plants are prohibited.
2.
Natural features such as rock, stone, bark or structural features including, but not limited to sidewalks, fountains, reflecting pools, art works, screen walls, fences or street furniture may be installed on the development in question if the sight triangle visibility is maintained. Locations and quantities will be reviewed for consistency with applicable sections of the Code, adjacent properties, proposed or adopted design guidelines, and any other criteria deemed appropriate by the planning department.
3.
The landscaping plan shall include an irrigation plan pursuant to Town requirements, or in cases where a water source is not available to a site, a statement from the property owner that manual watering will be conducted until landscaping is established, along with a schedule for manual watering by the property owner.
4.
For all residential developments, including assisted living and multi-family type uses, landscaping on an individual lot shall be installed according to the following guidelines:
a.
A maximum of twenty-five (25) percent of a lot's pervious area may consist of an approved, drought-tolerant turf grass. Synthetic turf or other similar types of materials may substitute for all or a portion of this area at the discretion of the board of trustees.
b.
A minimum of one (1) tree for every dwelling unit shall be planted in the front yard or one (1) for every sixty (60) feet of lot frontage, whichever provides the largest amount.
c.
Pervious area not covered by turf grass shall be covered with a combination of natural colored cobble or gravel, wood mulches, and native grasses. Living plant material must account for at least sixty (60) percent of the entire pervious lot area (at plant maturity).
d.
All plantings shall be of a drought-tolerant variety.
e.
All irrigation systems shall be designed with a drip or micro-spray system which uses a minimal amount of water.
5.
For all non-residential developments, landscaping shall be installed according to the following guidelines:
a.
A minimum of ten (10) percent of the lot shall be landscaped area.
b.
A combination of deciduous, ornamental, and evergreen trees shall be installed at the ratio of one (1) tree per nine hundred twenty-five (925) square feet of required landscaped area.
c.
No turf grasses of any kind are permitted unless approved by the board of trustees for purposes of continuity with existing adjacent landscaping or accents. Synthetic turf or other similar types of materials may substitute for all or a portion of this area at the discretion of the board of trustees.
d.
A maximum of fifty (50) percent of the required landscaped area may utilize non-irrigated native grasses. The actual allowable percentage may be limited and will be established by the approval of the board of trustees as a part of the overall plan review. Open areas with the purpose of providing mandated drainage facilities will not be included in the fifty (50) percent area determination.
e.
The landscaped area not planted with native grasses will have wood mulch and/or decorative rock. Shrubs, ornamental grasses, and ground cover shall be installed in an aesthetic combination in these areas according to the minimum ratio of eight (8) shrubs, ornamental grasses, or ground cover plants per one hundred (100) square feet of landscape area;
f.
The number of plants may be reduced for each additional tree, above the required number, at the ratio of ten (10) plants for each additional tree, providing that in no case, shall the number of plants be reduced to less than five (5) plants per one hundred (100) square feet of required landscape areas.
F.
Incompatible Land Uses. Some land uses are considered to have impact on lesser intense uses, such as industrial adjacent to residential. In areas of incompatible land use, as determined by the planning director, the newest development shall be required to screen from an adjacent incompatible land use by utilizing plant materials, artificial structures, berms or combinations thereof.
G.
Adjoining Land Uses. New development shall connect with existing pedestrian or bicycle pathways and drainage systems. New development shall also integrate with existing development to maintain a sense of continuity.
H.
Parking. A minimum of one (1) tree per fifteen (15) parking stalls is required to be installed in such a manner to break up the parking area. Additionally, a screening shall be established between the parking area and the roadway. The screen shall be composed of plant materials, artificial structures, berms, or combinations thereof as approved by the board of trustees.
I.
Corner Lots and Entrance Drives. The growth of any planting or placement of any structure over thirty (30) inches above and under ten (10) feet above the level of the roadway which obstructs the view of the traffic shall not be permitted. This area is defined as a fifteen (15) foot sight distance triangle established on the corner lot lines or the intersection of the drive and roadway. At the discretion of the planning director, exceptions may be granted.
J.
Right-of-Ways. The property owner of land abutting a constructed public right-of-way is responsible for landscaping and maintenance of any right-of-way area between his or her property line and the roadway, unless otherwise maintained by the Town, a Special District, or Home Owners Association.
K.
Snow Removal. Adequate provisions shall be made for snow storage to ensure compatibility with the design of the landscaping plan.
(Ord. 13-2006 § 1; Ord. 13-97 (part): prior code § 13.13.040)
(Ord. No. 16-2013, 5-6-2013; Ord. No. 21-2013 , 10-7-2013; Ord. No. 23-2014 , 6-2-2014; Ord. No. 30-2014 , 8-18-2014; Ord. No. 21-2017 , § 1, 10-2-2017)