Title
An Ordinance to Amend Sections 5:600, 5:601, 5:602, 5:603, 5:604, 5:605, 5:606, 5:607, 5:608 and 5:610, to Repeal Section 5:611, and to Amend Renumbered Section 5:611 of Chapter 62 (Landscaping and Screening) of Title V of the Code of the City of Ann Arbor Regarding Plant Materials, Screening and Landscape Island Requirements - Planning Commission Recommendation: Approval (8 Yeas, 0 Nays) (Ordinance No. ORD-11-09)
Memorandum
Approval of this ordinance will revise landscaping requirements for vehicular use areas and conflicting land use buffers.
Systems Planning Unit staff have been working with Planning staff and the Planning Commission on amendments to Chapter 62 (Landscaping and Screening Ordinance) for the past year. The proposed amendments are based on recommendations of the Environmental Commission’s Natural Features Committee.
The intent of these proposed amendments is to: a) improve the appearance of vehicular use areas and property abutting right-of-way, b) revise buffer requirements between conflicting land uses, c) reduce negative impacts of stormwater runoff, d) improve pedestrian movement within a development site, and e) preserve existing significant vegetation.
These text amendments propose a number of modifications to Chapter 62, including:
· Adding definitions, including “bioretention”, “native or prairie plantings
· Allowing variation in the width of required landscape buffers
· Modifying requirements for interior landscape islands
· Requiring a conflicting land use buffer for a multiple-family project proposed to abut residential uses
· Requiring bioretention within the interior landscape islands when the total interior landscape area exceeds 750 square feet
· Requiring that provisions be made for snow plow storage
· Prohibiting the use of non-native invasive vegetation for required landscaping
· Increasing the fines for violations
A public meeting was held on October 21, 2010 to obtain public comment. Public comments were incorp...
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