Chapter 148 SUBDIVISION AND LAND DEVELOPMENT. (updated 7-28-08)

Section 148-44 ENVIRONMENTAL PLANTING SCREEN.

A.  An environmental planting screen shall be provided on the rear of any double frontage lot and on any commercial or industrial development abutting a residential district.

      Planting screens shall consist of a minimum area, as follows:

                                                                    Minimum Width

             Type                                                          (feet)

    Rear yard abutting right-of-way

    60 feet or wider                                                     20

    Rear yard abutting right-of-way

    less than 60 feet                                                     15

    Commercial/industrial site

    abutting residential district                                    15

B.  Any required environmental planting screen shall be designed, planted and maintained in accordance with a landscaping plan approved by the Director of Planning.  The landscaping plan shall satisfy the following standards:

1.  The planting screen shall provide an effective buffer between the residential use and the adjoining roadway or commercial/industrial development.

2. The planting screen may be comprised of previously existing vegetation (provided that the majority of such existing vegetation is trees), new plantings or any combination of existing vegetation and new plantings.  When complete, the vegetation and plantings shall provide a dense year-round screen satisfying the standards set out in this section.

3.  The planting screen may consist of a mixture of deciduous and evergreen trees and/or shrubs or a planting of evergreen trees and/or shrubs.

4.   The planting screen shall be subject to on-site inspection by the Department of Planning which, if necessary, may prescribe that additional plantings be made in order to satisfy the standards set out herein.

C.  The developer shall grant a covenant to the town and, if applicable, to all property owners in the subdivision.  The covenant shall require the owner of a lot to maintain the environmental planting screen in accordance with the approved  landscaping plan and to abide by requirements for any  additional plantings.  No right of access shall be permitted across any required environmental planting screen, except as provided and approved by the town.