Landscape Architect Articles

LASN July 2011 Ordinances: Charlottesville07-06-11 | News

Charlottesville

By Buck Abbey, ASLA, Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture, Louisiana State University

Charlottesville, Virginia?EUR??,,????'?????<

"C?EUR??,,????'?????<
?EUR??,,????'?????<

There are several reasons university towns are special. For one thing, they often are a city within a city with various types of buildings arranged in a well thought out and well-planted campus landscape.

A university campus is always energized by 24-hour activity. University towns attract many bright, young people who bring energy and creative talent to what is essentially a mixed-use community of academia, athletics and culture. University towns are always better landscaped than most towns.

The nurturing landscape is usually seen as a garden, perhaps reminiscent of Plato?EUR??,,????'?????<

Charlottesville, home of the University of Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States (1801?EUR??,,????'?????<

But university towns are special in another way. Since they usually have landscape codes they are good communities to look too for those who write landscape regulations. Landscape codes in university towns are generally written by planning staffs dedicated to crafting a city that preserves, protects and rebuilds nature, while allowing for well-considered development and a special quality of life.

In the instance of C?EUR??,,????'?????<

"Section 3 of Charlottesville?EUR??,,????'?????<

The C?EUR??,,????'?????<
The landscape code (rev 2010) is contained within several sections of Chapter 34 Zoning, Article VIII, Division 2. Landscape & Screening. But other sections dealing with stream buffers, sensitive areas, planned unit development districts, water protection and stormwater management are scattered in the code.

The purpose of the code involves eight factors that together directly improve the environment of the city?EUR??,,????'?????<

The generalities of the code cover most of the common landscape regulations, such as plant material specifications, bonding requirements, and preparation of landscape plans. Specific standards cover the eight main design components of this code. They include street tree planting areas, screening, parking lot interiors, parking lot screening and buffers. Three types of screens with varying opacities are defined based upon 100 linear foot units and square foot measures. There are other standards for stream buffers, entrance corridors and sensitive areas.

Unique features of the code include preservation of existing landscape features and minimum tree canopy requirement based upon zoning district and percent of site coverage. Technical standards for canopy coverage vary from 10 to 20 percent of net site area. Net site does not include the footprint of the building nor driveways, so the actual percentage is somewhat nearer common standards as recommended by American Forests, the nation?EUR??,,????'?????<

Other sections of the code provide technical standards for water protection, storm water management plans and landscape design for residential zoning and PUD districts.

American Forests, the nation?EUR??,,????'?????< Planting photo by Leslie Weldon, Forest Service.

Not Covered
Interestingly, the landscape code does not spell out administrative procedures directed by the city landscape administrator. As every landscape architect knows, the essential workability mechanisms and enforcement tools of the code stem directly from permits, inspections and plan reviews of city staff. This is covered in the regulating chapters of the zoning ordinance, Division 5 & 6, but practice makes it more understandable to landscape architects, contractors and citizens alike if the standards are set forth directly in the landscape code. In this community the zoning administrator has the authority to issue a violation notice, correction order and a civil summons in the form of a ticket.

And perhaps a sign that the landscape code needs to be updated is the fact that the code does not address the sustainability goals of the ?EUR??,,????'?????<

Section 3 of the City Charter excludes ?EUR??,,????'?????<