6.05 Quantity and Quality of Required Landscaping | Fountain Hills Subdivision Ordinance

Section 6.05 Quantity and Quality of Required Landscaping

The quality of landscaping elements includes the size, type and health (if applicable) of individual plant specimens and landscape material. The quantity of landscaping includes the number and the rate at which individual plant specimens and other landscape material is utilized. The quantity and quality of landscaping required shall be allowed to vary with type of development, but shall be required to be planned and developed in a manner consistent with the following standards for the following three types of landscaped areas:

1. Prior to any disturbance activity on the site, areas, which are required to utilize “Fully-Abutting” landscaping, shall be staked and roped per the requirements of Article 5, Section 5.04, and Subsection 5.02.B.8. Photographs shall then be taken, at an adequate quality and resolution, to show the quantity and quality of the existing natural undisturbed landscaping within the areas to be disturbed. Through the use of photographs and site surveys, an inventory of the existing natural vegetation in areas proposed to be landscaped/revegetated shall be developed and submitted with the landscape plan. An additional sample inventory of a 50 by 50-foot area, indicative of the area to be disturbed, shall be provided along with the aforementioned photographs.

2. A landscape plan for the area shall be prepared, utilizing the photographs of the area prior to disturbance, which shall propose the revegetation of the area to resemble as closely as possible the quantity and quality of the preexisting landscaping, including vegetation, rock outcroppings, boulders and rock groundcovers. Extreme effort to recreate the preexisting landscaping on the area shall be utilized, to the extent of manually planting individual plant species. Hydro-seeding can only be used to supplement other landscaping/revegetation methods.

3. The grading plan for the area shall include contouring the land so that naturally appearing topographic contours are established in the area, so that the contours on either side of the revegetated area are continued through the area.

1. Prior to any disturbance activity on the site, areas, which are required to utilize “Partially-Abutting” landscaping, shall be staked and roped per the requirements of Article 5, Section 5.04, and Subsection 5.02.B.8. Photographs shall then be taken, at an adequate quality and resolution, to show the quantity and quality of the existing natural undisturbed landscaping within the areas to be disturbed. Through the use of photographs and site surveys, an inventory of the existing natural vegetation in areas proposed to be landscaped/revegetated shall be developed and submitted with the landscape plan. An additional sample inventory of a 50 by 50-foot area, indicative of the area to be disturbed, shall be provided along with the aforementioned photographs.

3. The grading plan for the area shall include contouring the land so that naturally appearing topographic contours are established, so that to the extent possible, the contours match the contours of the undisturbed area on the one side of the revegetated area.

1. Prior to any disturbance activity on the site, areas, which are required to utilize “Nonabutting” landscaping, shall be staked and roped per the requirements of Article 5, Section 5.04, and Subsection 5.02.B.8. Photographs shall then be taken, at an adequate quality and resolution, to show the quantity and quality of the existing natural undisturbed landscaping within the areas to be disturbed. An additional sample inventory of a 50 by 50-foot area, indicative of the area to be disturbed, shall be provided along with the aforementioned photographs.

3. The grading plan for the area shall include contouring the land so that naturally appearing topographic contours are established, so that more natural-appearing slopes and berming are utilized, to the extent that traffic and drainage concerns are met.

4. The plant or other landscaping material that best serves the intended function shall be selected. Landscaping material shall be appropriate for the local environment, soil conditions, and availability of water. The impact of the proposed landscaping plan at various time intervals shall also be considered. Landscaping for projects, other than single-family or two-family residences, shall be in accordance to a landscape plan approved by the Town.

5. Extraordinary revegetation methods and materials shall be utilized to revegetate disturbed areas visible from outside of the development. The following standards shall be utilized when planning for "nonabutting" landscaped/revegetated areas:

1. Retained or transplanted cactus and ocotillo may be utilized to achieve up to 50 percent of the required number of trees to be planted in the street right-of-way.

2. Thorny plants, cactus and ocotillo must maintain a minimum setback of three feet from vehicular roadways and sidewalks. Such plants will be allowed in a curbed median island, provided a minimum of three feet is maintained from curbs as a clear zone (measured from nearest part of plant) (See Exhibits 32 and 33).

3. Boulders and large diameter trees shall be placed in large width (ten foot wide or larger width) median islands as design elements, with berming provided for protection (See Exhibit 33).

4. Thorny plants, cactus and ocotillo shall have a minimum of three buffer shrubs. No part of the thorny plant shall be located within three feet of a sidewalk or curb (See Exhibits 32 and 33). Examples of buffer shrubs are: cassia varieties, Texas sage, creosote, desert broom, sagebrush, etc.

5. Transplanted native plants that die within one year are to be replaced within 30 days of written notification by the Town. The staff can grant extensions on the replacement time for plants not immediately available or when the time of year is not in the planting season. Replacements are to be indigenous plant material. A bubbler or emitter irrigation system shall be extended to new or transplanted plants.

6. Existing trees and cacti over six inches in diameter, in common open space areas, should be preserved in place where possible. When detention of plant material is not possible due to lot sizes or location, removal and replanting of healthy, viable specimens to other areas of the site is required.

b. Restoration of Cut and Fill Slopes. Vegetation shall be reestablished on all exposed fill slopes, cut slopes, and disturbed surfaces by means of a mixture of grasses, shrubs, trees or cacti to provide a basic ground cover which will prevent erosion and permit natural revegetation. Desert grasses, shrubs, trees and cacti with low water consumption requirements shall be used to prevent erosion and permit natural revegetation. Imbedded and surface boulders are also required to be utilized on all cut and fill slopes if exposed slopes are greater than six feet high.

6. The minimum quantity and quality of landscaping materials utilized in "nonabutting" areas shall be determined by the following formulas:

a. For every 3,000 square feet of area having less than 15 10 percent slope, to be landscaped or revegetated, the following quantity and quality of landscaping materials shall be utilized:

1. One ten foot tall or taller Saguaro cactus.

2. One 24" and one 36" box tree.

3. Two 15-gallon trees.

4. Two eight-spine (minimum) Ocotillo.

5. Ten five-gallon assorted cacti and succulents.

6. 15 five-gallon or 30 one-gallon assorted groundcovers and shrubs.

7. Ten two-foot by four-foot (one ton) surface boulders.

8. Inorganic groundcovers over 100 percent of the area at a color and size to match the area.

b. For every three thousand square feet of cut or fill slopes (greater than fifteen percent) to be landscaped or revegetated, the following quantity and quality of landscaping materials shall be utilized:

1. One three to five-foot tall Saguaro cactus.

2. Two eight-spine (minimum) Ocotillo.

3. 15 five-gallon or 30 one-gallon assorted cacti and succulents.

4. 15 five-gallon or 30 one-gallon assorted groundcovers and shrubs.

5. Ten two-foot by four – foot (one ton) surface boulders.

6. 100 partially-imbedded small surface boulders or on-site sub-surface rock of a size not less than 12" by 12".

7. Inorganic groundcovers (decomposed granite) over 100 percent of the area at a color and size to match the area and prevent erosion.

8. Shotcrete and other nonnative appearing methods of slope stabilization shall only be utilized by Town Council approval.

9. Two 15-gallon trees.

c. When the finished soil conditions prohibit the standards specified in subsections "a" and/or "b", the staff may waive the specific standards of "a" and/or "b" and require alternative landscape treatment(s). Appeals of the staff decision on this matter may be made to the Planning and Zoning Commission.