ORDINANCE NO. 8429

 

AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO CHAPTER 20, THE DEVELOPMENT CODE OF THE CITY OF LAWRENCE, KANSAS OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF LAWRENCE, KANSAS 2009 EDITION AND AMENDMENTS THERETO; AMENDING CHAPTER 20, ARTICLE 10, SECTION 20-1003 PERTAINING TO INTERIOR PARKING LOT LANDSCAPING STANDARDS; AND REPEALING THE EXISTING SECTION

 

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF LAWRENCE, KANSAS:

 

SECTION ONE:  Chapter 20, Article 10, Section 20-1003 of the Development Code of the City of Lawrence, Kansas of the Code of the City of Lawrence, 2009 Edition and amendments thereto, is hereby amended to read as follows:

 

 20-1003        Interior Parking Lot Landscaping

 

(a)       Purpose

The parking lot Landscaping standards of this section require interior Landscaping within parking lots to break up large, unsightly expanses of pavement; and to provide relief from the heat island effect associated with paved areas; and to safely direct traffic flows within the lot.

 

(b)      Applicability

The interior parking lot Landscaping standards of this section apply to all off-street parking lots containing 5 11 or more off-street Parking Spaces; provided, however, that for Lots that are less than one hundred fifty (150) feet deep, the interior Landscaping requirements may be waived in conformance with the Alternative Compliance procedure provided in Section 20-1007.  For Lots less than one hundred fifty (150) feet deep, with all Landscaping shall being concentrated in the Setback from public rights of way or from residentially zoned property.

 

(c)       Landscape Area

 

(1)        Parking lots shall contain at least 60 40 square feet of Landscaping area per Parking Space.

 

(2)        Required minimum parking lot perimeter Landscaping and required Bufferyards may not be used to satisfy minimum interior parking lot Landscaping requirements.

 

(3)        Landscape areas within the Parking Area shall be constructed with concrete curbing to minimize damage to plant material., except that concrete curbing may be reduced or eliminated to account for landscape areas that are used as bio-swales or other alternative systems of storm water management where curbing would impede the flow of water.

 

(4)        Landscape areas to be credited toward meeting these standards shall have minimum dimensions of 9 8.5 feet in all directions and the landscape areas shall be contained within the parking lot. The parking lot shall be established by the perimeter parking lot curb, excluding landscape area peninsulas that meet the minimum dimensions.

 

(5)        Landscape medians in parking lots shall be planted with a mixture of two or more plant materials: Ground Cover, trees or Shrub. Medians with less than ten feet (10’) in width shall not be planted with grass; however, tThe landscape median may contain a pedestrian walk that separates the total area into mowable strips of three or more feet on either side of the walk.

 

(6)        Interior rows of Parking Spaces located in the Parking Area shall terminate with landscape areas.

 

(d)      Trees and Shrubs

At least one Shade Tree and three Shrubs shall be provided per ten Parking Spaces within off-street Parking Areas. One Shade Tree or Ornamental Tree may be substituted for three Shrubs, but Shrubs may not be substituted for Shade Trees.

 

(e)       Other Landscaping

In addition to required Shade Trees and Shrubs, landscape areas within the interior of off-street Parking Areas shall be planted with turf, Ground Cover, Ornamental Trees, or Shrubs.

 

(f)        Location and Arrangement of Landscaping

Landscaping and planting areas shall be reasonably dispersed throughout parking lots to break up long rows of Parking Spaces. Landscape areas and plantings shall be located and arranged to provide shade to parked vehicles, to safely direct traffic flows within the lot, to allow the Principal Building to be seen from the Street and for the Street to be seen from the Principal Building and/or to provide Landscaping and shade along protected pedestrian walkways within the interior of the parking lots. Landscaping location and arrangement of plant materials shall be designed with consideration given to the adjacent zonings, plantings and land uses.

 

SECTION TWO:  That Chapter 20, Article 10, Section 20-1003 of the Code of the City of Lawrence, 2009 Edition and amendments thereto, is hereby repealed, it being the intent that the provisions of this ordinance supersede the repealed code provisions.

 

SECTION THREE:  If any section, clause, sentence, or phrase of this ordinance is found to be unconstitutional or is otherwise held invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, it shall not affect the validity of any remaining parts of this ordinance.

 

SECTION FOUR:  This ordinance shall take affect and be in force from and after its passage and publication as provided by law.

 

Passed by the Governing Body this ____ day of______, 2009.

 

APPROVED:

 

_______________________

Robert Chestnut, Mayor 

ATTEST:

 

_______________________________________

Jonathan M. Douglass, City Clerk

 

 

APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY:

 

______________________________________

Toni Ramirez Wheeler

Director of Legal Services

 

Publish one time and return one Proof of Publication to the City Clerk and one to the Director of Legal Services.