Landscape Architect Articles

LASN Licensure November 200511-30-05 | News

Interesting Landscape Code Revisions

By Buck Abbey, ASLA

Increased green space in parking lots will allow interior planting areas to better intercept storm water that is putting undue stress on local creeks, streams and the Chesapeake Bay.

Landscape codes that require landscaping and tree preservation for new construction are more common in states such as Florida, Louisiana, California and Texas all of whom have had green zoning laws for a quarter of a century. However, landscape codes and tree laws, both of which are changing the way communities look, are expanding at a very rapid rate and are influencing the work of landscape architects in places far and wide. For instance several communities in recent weeks have adopted or are revising their landscape laws and are providing more insight into this little known area of the landscape architecture profession.

It is interesting to look at what some not-so-well known communities are doing with their landscape laws.

North Liberty, Iowa is a suburb of Iowa City whose planning and zoning commission is drafting landscaping standards for a proposed overlay zoning district ordinance. This new ordinance will set design standards for landscaping, lighting, parking and signage, as well as building materials used by developers and business owners. Of special interest is that the tree planting guideline in this ordinance may require developers to arrange trees in groups of three trees of the same species This triangular formation, where trees are to be planted eighty feet on center, will allow the trees to grow without disturbing each other and will remind passers-by of the community?EUR??,,????'???s official logo.

Lynchburg, Virginia understands that the community landscape code can help clean the environment in many ways. Yet they feel that their landscape code, in effect since 1978, is behind the times and not doing the job. The community wants to upgrade their code to allow their landscape regulations to better prevent erosion, reduce runoff and improve air quality by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing more oxygen. With this in mind the planning commission is in the process of revising the landscape code to better establish citywide design standards addressing landscaping/trees, signage and site design in commercial areas and in the redevelopment of commercial corridors.

Lynchburg?EUR??,,????'???s planning director points out that their present parking lot landscaping standards need to be increased from the existing five percent to somewhere near the average standard of 15 to 20 percent of the paved area. Revising the landscape ordinance will add to the quality of life in this community say local officials.

Jacksonville, Alabama recently adopted Ordinance 453 that amends chapter 28 of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan to establish landscape standards that will increase the aesthetic standards of new construction projects. The code developed by the planning commission sets new design standards for off street parking lots and vehicular use areas. New standards that are expected to provide safer vehicular and pedestrian movement require the planting and preservation of trees, partitioning vehicular use areas (VUAs) with the use of islands and peninsulas and installing perimeter plantings on all parking lots containing more than forty parking spaces. Interior planting areas for large lots, which was set by the commission at only four percent, is well below the national standard. The new ordinance requires that master landscape plans be submitted to the planning commission for review before parking lots are built to ensure that the new standards are met on all construction projects. Landscaping of parking lots is now mandatory in Jacksonville.

D.G. ?EUR??,,????'??Buck?EUR??,,????'?? Abbey, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture at Louisiana State University, is LASN?EUR??,,????'???s Associate Editor for Legislation.