§ 28.06.030. Required landscaped street yard.

A.

The minimum amount of Landscaped Street Yard for all uses except single-family, two-family and neighborhood swimming pools, as defined by the UZC, which are adjacent to at-grade expressway or freeway frontage roads, arterial or collector streets designated in the Kansas Department of Transportation Functional Classification Map, or which are adjacent to local streets when across from residential districts, except as provided for in Subsections (A)(4) and (A)(5) of this Section, shall be as follows:

Average Lot Depth (ft.)	Square Footage Factor (ft / linear foot)
175.00 or less	8
175.01—275.00	10
275.01—375.00	15
Greater than 375.00	20

 

1.

The square footage per linear foot of Street Frontage may be reduced twenty (20) percent if the minimum planting size of materials specified in Subsections (C)(3) and (C)(4) of this Section is increased by one hundred (100) percent or more.

2.

Plants, installation and maintenance techniques meeting the principles of Xeriscape shall be utilized for landscaping required by these regulations.

3.

On a Zoning Lot with frontage on two or more streets, each of which requires a Landscaped Street Yard, the Landscaped area requirement shall be based on the sum of the Street Frontages, less the greatest perpendicular distance between the property line abutting a street and the Street Wall Line, multiplied by the factor based on average Lot Depth as referenced above. On multiple-frontage lots where the use of the average Lot Depth, as defined by the Chapter, would require more Landscaped Street Yard than would be required if each Street Frontage were calculated individually, the lesser of the calculations may be used. Although the required amount of Landscaped Street Yard does not have to be equally distributed to the various street frontages, there shall be no less than twenty (20) percent of the total required landscaping within any Street Yard.

4.

On collector streets with industrial zoning on both sides of the street, the requirement for a Landscaped Street Yard shall be automatically waived.

5.

In the "CBD" Central Business District, no Landscaped Street Yard shall be required.

6.

No Landscaped Street Yard shall be required for "vehicle and equipment sales" as defined by the UZC.

B.

Minimum number of trees within Street Yards:

There shall be a minimum of one (1) shade tree or two (2) ornamental trees for every five hundred (500) square feet or fraction thereof of the required minimum Landscaped Street Yard.

C.

Design standards for Landscaped Street Yards and required trees:

1.

Trees shall be located in planter areas of sufficient size and design to accommodate the growth of the trees and protected to prevent damage to the trees by vehicles. A minimum of twenty-five (25) square feet of permeable ground surface area per tree is recommended.

2.

The required trees may be clustered along a particular façade or boundary of the project. Trees need not be spaced evenly, although it is permissible to do so, provided adequate distance is maintained between individual specimens. Minimum spacing for ornamental trees is recommended to be fifteen (15) feet and forty (40) or more feet for Shade Trees. The trees shall be selected from a list of tree types that are commonly known to grow in the Wichita area and are listed in the publication prepared by the Kansas Forest Service and titled "Preferred Tree Species for South Kansas" or the Wichita Landscape Ordinance Guidebook.

3.

The minimum size at the time of planting of required trees shall be as follows: Shade Trees—two (2) inch or greater caliper measured at a height of six (6) inches above the ground; ornamental trees—one (1) inch or greater caliper measured six (6) inches above the ground; Conifer Trees five (5) feet or more in height.

4.

Shrubbery may be substituted for up to one-third (1/3) of the required trees at the rate of ten (10) Shrubs for one (1) required Shade Tree. Substitute Shrubbery shall be of a Site-Specific type that attains a mature height of at least two (2) feet and shall be no less than two (2) gallon container size at the time of planting.

5.

The required trees (Shade Trees or ornamental trees but not Conifers) and/or Shrubs may be located in part or in total in adjacent public right of way area if approved as to location by a Right-of-Way Use Permit issued by the Traffic Engineer and approved as to type of tree by the superintendent of landscape and forestry and no conflicts exist with utility locations. Trees and Shrubs should be located no closer than six (6) feet to the Curb line of adjacent streets. Trees should also be located no closer than six (6) feet to either side of a sidewalk unless root barrier materials are installed at the sidewalk on the tree side.

6.

Fences which are twenty-five (25) percent or more opaque in design shall be constructed no higher than four (4) feet above the finished grade in a required Landscaped Street Yard when located within a right triangle, the sides of which are formed by a line extending twenty-five (25) feet toward the shrubbery, wall or fence from any vehicular access point along the street right-of-way line and a line extending six (6) feet away from and perpendicular to the street right-of-way line from the same access point.

Shrubbery and walls which are twenty-five (25) percent or more opaque in design shall be constructed no higher thirty three (33) inches above the bottom of the gutter or the lowest point of the traveled surface of the roadway in a required Landscaped Street Yard when located within a right triangle, the sides of which are formed by a line extending twenty-five (25) feet toward the shrubbery, wall or fence from any vehicular access point along the street right-of-way line and a line extending six (6) feet away from and perpendicular to the street right-of-way line from the same access point.

Shrubbery, walls, fences, or other obstructions located near the intersection of streets shall maintain sight visibility clearance as specified in Chapter 11.22 of the City Code. All opaque fences shall be located toward the private property side of required Landscaped Street Yards along street right of way to maintain a landscaped appearance along the street.

7.

The intent of the Landscaped Street Yard is to visually soften the masses of building and parking lots and to separate building areas from parking areas through the use of plantings. Paved plazas may be credited to a maximum of fifty (50) percent of required Street Yard Landscaping area if such plazas have trees and/or Shrubbery which provide(s) visual relief to those building elevations forming the major public views of the project. Paved walkways and bike paths connecting public sidewalks to buildings located on private property within a Landscaped Street Yard may also be credited to a maximum of fifty (50) percent of the required Landscaped Street Yard.

(Ord. No. 50-340 § 3, 10-11-16)