§ 10-4.351. Planting standards for all landscape areas.

(a)

Applicability. The following requirements and standards for landscaping shall apply, and landscaping information shall be provided in a landscape plan as part of the environmental management permit application, for all new development and redevelopment in accordance with sections 10-173, 10-4.342, 10-4.344 and 10-4.345 of this division.

(b)

Habitat development. The use of native plant material, site design techniques, and planting design techniques which enhance wildlife habitat benefits shall be used where possible in the landscape plan. The publication "Planting a Refuge For Wildlife," or its successor, available from the State of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, may be used as a guide. Types of wildlife habitat enhancements may be found in section 10-1.101.

(c)

Landscape area credit for preserved natural areas. Natural and vegetated portions of a site which are left in a healthy state and which qualify as high quality successional, native or urban forest areas, or which occur within the critical protection zone of any patriarch tree or exceptional specimen tree, or which include identified habitat area for endangered, threatened, or special concern species of plants or animals, shall be eligible for credit toward the landscape area or natural area requirement of this division.

(d)

General landscape standards.

(1)

Plant standards. All plants used as a part of any landscape plan shall be healthy, well-proportioned, disease-free and pest-free, and hardy for the North Florida Region. Unless otherwise provided herein, only Florida No. 1 or better plant material as described in "Grades and Standards for Nursery Plants," part I, 1998, and part II, State Department of Agriculture, Tallahassee, or their successors, shall be credited toward the landscape area requirements of this division. No plants may be used that are on the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council's annual list of invasive species, or its successor publication.

(2)

Tree standards. Trees required by this division shall meet the following criteria:

a.

Species. Species of trees shall be selected based on their overall characteristics, site conditions, and purpose of placement and shown to grow well in the Tallahassee area. Sources of reference include the "Environmental Design Guide," published by the City of Tallahassee, Growth Management Department, Trees of North Florida, Kurz & Godfrey, 1993, University Press of Florida as being suitable for use in an ecosystem similar to North Florida, or their successors.

b.

Size. Trees shall have a minimum diameter of two-inches caliper at the time of planting. Canopy tree species shall reach a height of greater than 40 feet, and shall create the upper story of the tree line. Understory trees shall be a species that reach a height of 25 to 40 feet, and shall prefer a cover of larger trees.

c.

Crown spread. Planted trees must be a species with an average mature crown spread of at least 30 feet for canopy trees and 20 feet for understory trees, or they must be grouped so as to create a crown spread meeting this criteria.

d.

Interior planting volume. The interior planting volume for each tree shall be a minimum of 1,200 cubic feet with a minimum width of 12 feet and a depth of three feet. Construction-grade fill material within planting areas shall be excavated to a depth of three feet below the finished grade of the planting area and replaced with a non-compacted "friable" topsoil. The planting area shall be maintained in either vegetative landscape material or other pervious surface cover.

e.

Utility considerations. Tree species and placement shall be selected so as to minimize conflicts with existing or proposed utilities. To prevent conflict with overhead utilities, trees shall be selected from a list of trees recommended for use under utility lines and shall be planted within the affected portion of the interior landscape area to fulfill the tree requirement of this section. Where conflicts with underground utilities exist, tree placement shall be a minimum of ten feet from the underground utility.

f.

Impervious area. Trees shall not be planted closer than three feet from the edge of any impervious area.

(3)

Shrubs and hedges. Shrubs and hedges required by this division shall meet the following criteria except where a greater requirement is otherwise specified:

a.

Height and spread. Shrubs shall be a minimum height of 18 inches and have a minimum spread of 15 inches at the time of planting and shall be capable of achieving a minimum height of 30 inches at maturity.

b.

Placement and opacity conformance. Shrubs with 15 to 23 inches of spread shall be planted on maximum three-foot centers. Shrubs with greater than 23 inches of spread shall be planted on maximum five-foot centers. In no event shall spacing exceed five feet on center, nor shall plants be closer than two feet to the edge of any pavement.

(4)

Ground cover. Grass or other ground cover shall be planted on all areas within all landscape areas not occupied by other landscape material or permitted access ways.

(5)

Other materials. Vines, ground cover, lawn grasses, synthetic plant material, and architectural planters shall meet the following criteria:

a.

Vines. Vines shall be a minimum of 30 inches in length within one calendar year from the time of planting.

b.

Ground covers other than lawn grasses. Ground covers other than lawn grasses shall be planted so as to provide a minimum of 75 percent coverage within one calendar year from the time of planting.

c.

Lawn grasses.

1.

Lawn grasses planted for credit toward landscaping requirements shall be perennial species capable of thriving in the county.

2.

Lawn grasses shall be planted so as to achieve complete coverage within two calendar years from the time of planting.

3.

Grasses may be sodded, sprigged, plugged or seeded, except that solid sod is required in swales and other areas subject to erosion.

d.

Synthetic plant material. No landscape area credit shall be granted for areas using artificial plant material.

e.

Nonliving material. At installation, mulches shall be applied at a minimum compacted depth of two inches for all planting areas. The use of cypress tree bark for mulch is prohibited. No visible plastic surface covers shall be used.

(6)

Landscaping for forest creation. For projects which require creation of a forest community due to requirements of section 10-4.346, the following standards shall apply:

a.

Qualified professional and plan. A plan must be prepared by a qualified professional and must include details pertaining to site preparation methods of weed control during establishment, methods of planting, irrigation, justification for species and quantities proposed.

b.

Plant species. Plant species selected must be appropriate to the site. The Soil Survey of Leon County, published by the United States Department of Agriculture's Soil Conservation Service, which describes native trees and understory plants for each soil association, may be used as a guide.

c.

Trees.

1.

Trees shall be planted at a minimum density of 40 tree credits per acre.

2.

No less than 75 percent of planted trees shall be canopy trees. Understory trees may be utilized in the remaining 25 percent.

3.

The tree size standards of subsection 10-4.351(d)(2)b. may be reduced to eight to ten-inch diameter pots with plants at least three feet in height, except that bareroot pine seedlings may be allowed.

d.

Shrubs. Shrubs shall be planted at half the number of required trees. Shrubs shall meet the specifications of subsection 10-4.351(d)(3).

e.

Groundcover. Groundcover shall be planted to obtain 80 percent cover of the area within three years.

f.

Diversity. In order to promote a stable forest community, a minimum of five species of trees and five species of shrubs shall be utilized. In order to create the desired diversity, equivalent numbers of the species selected for planting shall be utilized. Creative, non-uniform distribution of plantings is encouraged.

(e)

General site design criteria:

(1)

Certification. For sites larger than one acre, the landscape development plan shall be prepared and submitted by a registered landscape architect, architect, engineer, or other person qualified in accordance with F.S. ch. 481, pt. II. For sites one acre or less, the landscape development plan shall conform to the minimum design standards set forth in this section.

(2)

The site is designed to assure that the overall appearance and function of the proposed project is compatible and harmonious with other properties in the immediate area; is demonstrably responsive to the environmental attributes of soil, slope, hydrology, and vegetative communities unique to the site; and is consistent with sound planning and site design principles. The determination as to whether the foregoing design requirements are met shall be based on the county administrator or designee's determination of satisfaction of the following criteria:

a.

Structures and other improvements are designed so as to utilize existing site characteristics of topography, existing vegetative communities, and any unique environmental factors.

b.

Conflicts between vehicular and pedestrian circulation are avoided, while utilizing the existing site characteristics and considering safe functional location of support services facilities.

c.

Planting plans indicate a diversity of plant species in the categories of ground covers, shrubs, and trees.

d.

Integration of proposed and existing vegetation is demonstrated in the plans, with an emphasis on maintaining forested buffers and corridors, preserving or restoring forest community types, and providing for the natural ecological function of each type by using such techniques as preserving a diversity of upper, mid, and understory constituents.

e.

Plant schedules contain botanical and common names, sizes of materials by dimension and container size, location by dimension, and notation describing species diversity.

f.

Planting specifications and species selected for the site are suitable for individual site environmental characteristics of soil, slope, aspect, wetness and microclimate.

g.

Plans indicate compatibility with adjacent site environmental factors.

h.

A detailed vegetation protection plan is provided, to be administered by an on-site supervisor, designated by the applicant to be responsible during construction for installation and maintenance of all landscaping and vegetation protection measures.

i.

Detailed vegetative and landscaping management plans and narrative description are prepared and designed to guide future horticultural and arboricultural activities necessary to maintain landscaping and vegetation consistent with the design goals of the approved plan and made part of the operating permit.

(3)

Perimeter landscape area planting specifications.

a.

Tree count. The total tree requirement within the perimeter landscape areas shall be determined by using a ratio of one tree for each 25 linear feet of required landscape perimeter area, or major portion thereof, with no less than 75 percent of said trees being shade trees. This provision is not intended to require trees to be equally spaced 25 feet apart. Creative design and spacing is encouraged. If power lines cannot be avoided, low growing tree species will be allowed for the 75 percent shade tree requirement.

b.

Visual screen. A visual screen shall be placed within required perimeter setback landscape areas, running the entire length of such areas except for permitted access ways. The visual screen shall consist of landscape materials sufficient to provide, at a minimum, an opaque, continuous screen at least 30 inches high at maturity.

(4)

Interior landscape area planting specifications.

a.

Canopy coverage. Within the unincorporated area of the county, interior planting areas shall be located such that tree(s) planted therein will achieve a minimum of 40 percent plan-view canopy coverage of all paved parking areas. To calculate canopy coverage for site design purposes, the standard canopy diameter for canopy and understory trees shall be 30 feet and 20 feet, respectfully. Shaded vehicular use area (VUA) may be counted toward the 40 percent plan view canopy coverage of paved parking areas.

b.

Ground cover. Interior landscape areas shall be planted in grass, or other ground cover, not exceeding eight inches in height.

(5)

Uncomplimentary landuse buffer planting specifications.

a.

Plant material requirements.

1.

Trees. Trees used as part of an uncomplimentary land use buffer shall meet the provisions of subsection 10-4.351(d)(2).

2.

Shrub material. Shrub material used as a part of an uncomplimentary land use buffer shall be a minimum height of 30 inches and have a minimum crown width of 24 inches when planted; shall be a species capable of achieving a minimum height of eight feet at maturity; and shall be located in such a way as to maximize the screening potential.

b.

Use of native plants. Forty percent of the total number of individual plants selected from each of the categories of the list of approved species (canopy, understory, shrub, groundcover) and used to satisfy the requirements of this article shall be selected from the list of native species in the category.

c.

A minimum of 75 percent of all required plant material, proposed or existing for a landscape buffer, shall consist of evergreen species.

(6)

Stormwater management facilities planting specifications. The following specifications are required in addition to those in sections 10-4.303 and 10-4.350:

a.

Planting specifications. Species selected for stormwater management facility landscaping shall be suitable for individual pond characteristics of soil, slope, aspect and hydro period and micro climate. Selected species shall be approved by the county administrator or designee.

b.

Plant material requirements.

1.

Wet detention facilities.

(a)

Wet detention facilities stormwater management facilities are to be landscaped with native species which are well suited to the use within the boundaries of a stormwater management facility, including fluctuating water levels, changes in hydro periods, and anthropogenic impact. Aquatic species which are listed as prohibited by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection cannot be used under any circumstances.

(b)

Creative design and spacing of trees, shrubs and ground covers is encouraged.

2.

Retention facilities.

(a)

No aquatic plants or plants which are classified as those requiring water on a continual basis for survival shall be permitted. Since dry retention ponds typically possess significantly fluctuation hydro periods, with the potential for extended dry periods, plants must be chosen which are adaptable to either dry or wet conditions, but capable of surviving and growing in either extended periods of inundation or extended periods of drought.

(b)

Creative design and spacing of trees, shrubs and groundcovers is encouraged.

3.

Swales and berms. All swales and berms shall be sodded. Additional stabilization measures may be required in areas with design stormwater velocities in excess of four feet per second as outlined within subsection 10-4.303(13)(b).

(Ord. No. 07-20, § 2, 7-10-07; Ord. No. 09-23, § 21, 7-14-09; Ord. No. 12-07, § 8, 5-8-12)