020 of 2000 - amending chapter 21A.48.060 and 21A.62.040 regarding park strip landscaping 0 00-1
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SALT LAKE CITY ORDINANCE
No. 20 of 2000
(Amending Chapters 21A.48.060 and 21A.62.040 of the Salt Lake City Code
Regarding Park Strip Landscaping)
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTERS 21A.48.060 AND 21A.62.040 OF THE
SALT LAKE CITY CODE REGARDING PARK STRIP LANDSCAPING, PURSUANT TO
PETITION NO. 400-99-40.
WHEREAS, the Salt Lake City zoning code contains provisions discussing the zoning
requirements for park strip landscaping; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of Salt Lake City, Utah, finds after public hearings before
its own body and before the Planning Commission that the zoning requirements for park strip
landscaping should be amended, and that such amendments are in the best interest of the City.
NOW THEREFORE, be it ordained by the City Council of Salt Lake City, Utah:
SECTION 1. That Section 21A.48.060 A through E of the Salt Lake City Code shall be
and hereby is amended to read as follows:
21A.48.060 Park Strip Landscaping.
A. Intent. The intent of these requirements is to maintain the appearance of park strips, protect
the users of park strips by prohibiting the use of materials that may cause harm or injury to
pedestrians or vehicles, provide for safe and convenient access across park strips to and from
vehicles that may park at the curb, expand landscape design flexibility while not
unreasonably inhibiting access for repair and maintenance of public utilities, encourage water
conservation through the use of water-conserving plants and generally to improve
environmental conditions along the City's streets.
B. Applicability. The requirements of this section shall apply to all park strips, defined as the
ground area within the street right-of-way situated between the back of curb and the sidewalk
or, if there is no sidewalk, the back of curb and the right-of-way line.
1. These standards apply to all properties in the city, including vacant lots, that have
street curb and/or gutter. Owners of property on streets that do not have curb and
gutter are not required to maintain formal landscaping within the public right-of-way.
2. These requirements shall not apply to lots in the D-1 district, which shall be subject to
the provisions of Section 21A.48.100.D, below and to official beautification districts
where exceptions to park strip standards are approved pursuant to subsection E.2. of
this section.
3. Discretionary Authority. The Zoning Administrator may modify the standards of
this section to better achieve its intent and address site specific conditions such as,
among other things, steep grades between the curb and sidewalk or the presence of
canals or drainage channels.
C. General Landscape Requirements.
1. Property Owner Responsibility. All park strips shall be landscaped by the abutting
property owner, in conformance with the provisions of this section. For permits
involving new construction of a principle building, the contractor shall be responsible
for landscaping the park strips as part of the building permit. In general, this
landscaping will involve improving the ground surface of the park strip with plant
material, or hard-surface treatments where permitted. Park strip trees shall also be
provided as required herein.
2. Maintenance. All park strip landscaping shall be maintained in a safe and well-kept
condition by the abutting property owner. Trash, other debris, and noxious weeds
shall not be allowed to collect or grow in these areas.
3. Watering. Sufficient water shall be provided for vegetative groundcover, annuals,
perennials, shrubs and trees to keep them in a healthy condition.
D. Park Strip Trees.
1. Spacing and Size. Park strip trees, when required, shall be provided at the equivalent
of at least one tree for each 30 feet of street frontage and may be clustered or spaced
linearly as deemed appropriate by the Urban Forester. Trees size shall be a minimum
of two inch caliper (measured at a point six inches above the soil line) at time of
planting.
2. Tree Grates. If new trees are proposed in a park strip in which the area surrounding
the tree will have an impervious service, tree wells with grates shall be provided
which have dimensions adequate to accommodate the recommended tree species.
3. Permit and Planting. No tree shall be planted in a park strip without first obtaining
a permit from the Urban Forestry Division of the Salt Lake City Public Services
Department (Section 2.26.210). Tree species and location shall be approved by the
Urban Forester.
4. Tree Maintenance. Planting and maintenance of trees shall be done in conformance
with the Salt Lake City Urban Forestry Standards and Specifications which are
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available and shall be administered and enforced through the Urban Forestry Office.
No work (pruning, removal, etc.) shall be performed on street trees without first
obtaining a permit from the Urban Forestry Office.
E. Park Strip Ground Surface Treatment.
1. Plant Coverage. The intent of the park strip landscaping standards is that 33% or more
of the park strip surface be covered with vegetation within three years of planting or
when planting has reached maturity, whichever comes first. For lots with two or more
street frontages, this standard shall be applied separately to each adjacent park strip on
each street frontage. In new park strips, or when replacing landscaping in existing park
strips, it is recommended that water-conserving plants constitute at least 80% of all plants
used.
2. Annual or Perennial Flowering Plants. If the entire park strip is planted with annual or
perennial flowering plants, it shall be the property owner's responsibility to insure that
erosion does not deposit soil or other material on sidewalks or in the street.
3. Organic Mulch. Materials such as bark, shredded plant material, and compost, may be
used as water-conserving mulch for plants and may also be used as the only material in
portions of a park strip.
4. Gravel, Rocks, and Boulders. Gravel, rocks, and boulders, may be used on portions of
the park strip. Large diameter rocks and boulders shall be kept a minimum of 18" away
from existing street trees. Organic mulch or gravel, as approved by the Urban Forester,
shall be used near existing street trees.
5. Paving Materials. Paving materials, limited to poured concrete, concrete pavers, brick
pavers, or natural stone pavers, may be used in portions of a park strip subject to the
following limitations.
a. Paving Materials Near Existing Street Trees. Poured concrete shall not be placed in
any park strip with existing street trees. Other paving materials shall be kept a minimum
of 18" away from existing street trees. Organic mulch or gravel, as approved by the
Urban Forester, shall be used near existing street trees.
b. 24"-wide Park Strips. Except as specified above, any paving material may be used in
100% of a park strip that is 24" or less in width. If poured concrete is used, it shall be
finished with a stamped pattern resembling brick or natural stone or scored with another
decorative pattern to distinguish it from the adjacent sidewalk.
c. 36"-wide Park Strips. In park strips that are 36" or less in width, brick pavers,
concrete pavers, or natural stone pavers may be used in 100% of the surface area. Poured
concrete shall not be used except for carriage ways as outlined below. The use of plants
in combination with paving materials is encouraged.
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d. Park Strips Over 36" Wide. In park strips over 36" in width, the combination of all
paving materials, gravel, rocks, and boulders shall not exceed 67% of the total park strip
surface area. Poured concrete shall not be used except for carriage ways as outlined
below.
6. Carriage Ways. In order to provide for safe and convenient access across park strips to
and from vehicles that may park at the curb, carriage ways (walkways between the curb
and sidewalk) through planted areas are encouraged. The material of carriage ways may
be poured concrete, concrete pavers, brick pavers, or flat, natural stone paving materials
such as flagstone or a combination of these materials. If poured concrete is used, the
carriage way shall be not more than four feet in width and shall be located so as to
provide the most direct route from the curb to the sidewalk. The area of carriage ways
shall be included in calculating the percentage of inorganic material in the park strip.
7. Prohibited Materials. Materials prohibited in park strips referenced in Table
21A.48.060, Park Strip Design Standards, include asphalt, concrete, thorn-bearing plants
(flowering shrubs, such as roses, may be authorized by the zoning administrator),
groundcover which exceeds eighteen inches in height at maturity, shrubs which create
visual barriers, and structural encroachments. These materials are prohibited for the
reasons stated below:
a. Asphalt and Concrete. Asphalt is inconsistent with the city's urban design policy,
and deteriorates quicker than pavers. Asphalt in park strips also reduces roadway
access definition and encourages people to drive over the curb.
One of the primary uses of park strips is to provide an area for installation of public
utilities. Concrete is more difficult and expensive to remove and replace than pavers
if these utilities require maintenance or replacement. (See exceptions in subsections
E.4 and E.6.)
b. Thorn-Bearing Plants. Plants which have thorns, spines, or other sharp, rigid, parts
are hazardous to pedestrians and bicyclists, and are difficult to walk across. Limited
use of thorn-bearing flowers, such as roses, may be acceptable subject to the approval
of the zoning administrator.
c. Continuous Plantings of Groundcover and Shrubs Which Exceed Eighteen
Inches in Height at Maturity. Continuous plantings of groundcover and shrubs
which exceed eighteen inches in height at maturity are hazardous to pedestrians, pets,
children on riding toys, and vehicles due to sight distance problems, are difficult to
walk across, create visual barriers which promote crime, and limit access to the
sidewalk from vehicles parked adjacent to the park strip.
d. Retaining walls, fences, steps, and other similar structural encroachments.
Retaining walls, fences, steps, and other similar structural encroachments in park
strips are prohibited unless they are specifically approved through the city revocable
permit and review process (not an automatic approval). These structural
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encroachments are generally prohibited because they limit access from the street to
sidewalks and create obstructions to, and increase the cost of, performing
maintenance of public improvements and utilities within the park strip.
e. Plants and Objects Within Site Distance Areas. Except for street trees, no plant,
boulder, monument, or other object which is over 18" in height shall be planted or
located within site distance areas.
f. Turf and Gravel on Steep Park Strips. Turf and gravel are not permitted in park
strips with a slope greater than 3:1 (three feet horizontal distance to one foot vertical
distance). Turf is difficult to mow on steep slopes and gravel will migrate down the
slope and collect in the gutter. Larger rocks or boulders used on steep park strips
shall be buried in the ground to a depth equal to at least one third of the rock or
boulder's average dimension in order to anchor them into the slope.
8. Exceptions To Park Strip Standards. Exceptions to the park strip policies established
herein shall be limited to the following:
a. Beautification District. Salt Lake City currently has two approved beautification
districts, one located downtown and one in the Sugar House business district area. In
both beautification districts, materials other than vegetation have been approved.
Additional beautification districts could be approved by the Planning Commission.
Areas where alternative park strip materials could be considered include identifiable
nonresidential areas. The beautification district concept is not intended to respond to
one or two properties but an identifiable district. The beautification district concept is
not generally applicable to residential areas where a predominant design theme
consisting of vegetation has been established.
b. Nonconforming Provision. All vegetation located in park strips prior to November
5, 1992, may be maintained subject to city transportation division approval for sight
distance and public way safety requirements.
c. Poured Concrete. Due to maintenance and irrigation difficulties associated with
narrow park strips, poured concrete may be used in park strips that are 24" or less in
width but shall be finished with a stamped pattern resembling brick or natural stone or
scored with another decorative pattern to distinguish it from the adjacent sidewalk.
Poured concrete may also be used for carriage ways that are four feet or less in width.
Poured concrete shall not be used in park strips which contain existing street trees.
SECTION 2. The table located at Chapter 21A.48.060 of the Salt Lake City Zoning
Code entitled "Park Strip Design Standards," shall be and hereby is amended to read as set forth
on Exhibit A attached hereto.
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SECTION 3. Section 21A.48.060 F of the Salt Lake City Code shall be and hereby is
enacted to read as follows:
F. Clarifying Provisions for Table 21A.48.060:
1. Groundcover. Groundcovers are defined as any perennial evergreen plant species that
does not exceed 18" in height at maturity and will spread to form a uniform "mat".
Perennial is defined as a plant having a life span of more than two years. Evergreen is
defined as a plant having foliage that remains on the plant throughout the year.
2. Perennial Flowering Plants. Perennial flowering plants are flowering plants which have
a life span of more than two years but which become dormant each Fall, losing all
foliage, and generate new foliage and flowering buds the following Spring and Summer
from the dormant root system.
3. Annual Flowering Plants. Annual flowering plants are flowering plants which have a
life span of only one growing season outdoors.
4. Shrubs. Shrubs are generally long-lived woody plants that may be either evergreen or
deciduous. They differ from groundcovers in that they are generally over 18" tall and do
not generally form a uniform mat. Shrubs shall not be planted at a spacing that will form
a mass or hedge which creates a visual barrier between the street and sidewalk. The
appropriate use of shrubs in park strips is as accent or specimen plants. Shrubs shall not
be planted within street intersection, alley, or driveway site distance areas. Shrubs may
be planted outside site distance areas but shall not exceed 36" in height at maturity.
5. Height of Rocks and Boulders. Rocks and boulders placed in park strips shall not
exceed 18" in height above grade.
SECTION 4. Section 21A.62.040 of the Salt Lake City Code shall be and hereby is
amended to change the existing definitions of"Parkway" and "Park Trees" to "Park Strip" and
"Street Trees," respectively, in alphabetical order, which modified definitions shall read as
follows:
" Park Strip" means the landscape area within a public way located between the back of
street curb and the sidewalk, or in the absence of a sidewalk, the right-of-way line.
" Street Trees" means trees located in the landscape area within a public way located
between the back of the street curb and the sidewalk, or in absence of the sidewalk, the right-of-
way line.
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SECTION 5. Section 21A.62.040 of the Salt Lake City Code shall be and hereby is
amended to add the definitions of"Park Strip Landscaping" and "Vacant Lot," in alphabetical
order, which shall read as follows:
"Park Strip Landscaping" means the improvement of property within the street right-
of-way situated between the back of curb and the sidewalk or, if there is no sidewalk, the back of
curb and the right-of-way line, through the addition of plants and other organic and inorganic
materials harmoniously combined to produce an effect appropriate for adjacent uses and
compatible with the neighborhood. Park strip landscaping includes trees and may also include a
combination of lawn, other perennial groundcover, flowering annuals and perennials, specimen
shrubs, and inorganic material.
"Vacant Lot" means a lot in an established area or neighborhood which at the present
time contains no structures or other above ground improvements. In new residential
subdivisions, lots which contain no structures or other above ground improvements shall be
considered vacant, as opposed to undeveloped land, when 90% or more of the total number of
lots in the subdivision have been built upon and the remaining lots are scattered throughout the
subdivision.
SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon
its first publication.
Passed by the City Council of Salt Lake City, Utah, this 18th day of April ,
2000.
01-A3
CHAIRPERSO
ATTEST:
CHIEF DEPUTY Y R CORDER
Transmitted to the Mayor on April 20, 2000.
Mayor's Action: /r.Approved. Vetoed.
Sett Lalco City d'.(iurnoy'e Office
Date y" ZU-2-c0O __
ATTEST:
(Th'
(Jl
CHIEF DEPUTY CITY ECORDER
(SEAL)
Bill No. 20 of 2000. r:. , •. '
Published: April 25, 2000. ,k�\• ��
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EXHIBIT A
Table 21A.48.060
Park Strip Design Standards
Park Strip Materials Standards
Turf Permitted on slopes less than 3:1
(three feet horizontal to one foot
vertical).
Evergreen groundcover Permitted-less than 18" in height at
maturity
Shrubs Not permitted as a continuous hedge
or when located within site distance
areas at street intersections, alleys,
or driveways. Permitted, up to 36"
in height, as individual specimens or
accent plants when not located
within site distance areas. Shrubs
shall not be planted at a spacing that
would result in a visual barrier
between the street and sidewalk. (see
Section 21A.48.060.G.)
Trees Permitted-See Section
21A.48.060.D.
Annual& Perennial Flowering Permitted-not to exceed18" in
Plants height at maturity when located
within site distance areas at street
intersections,alleys,or driveways.
Annuals and perennials,up to 36" in
height,may be used as individual
specimens or accent plants when not
located within site distance areas.
These plants shall not be planted at a
spacing that would result in a visual
barrier between the street and
sidewalk.
Carriage Ways providing access to Permitted-Carriage ways not to
street exceed 4'wide if they are poured
concrete.
Organic Mulch such as bark, Permitted and encouraged to
shredded plant material, or compost conserve water around plants. May
also be used as the only material on
portions of the park strip.
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Park Strip Materials Standards
Inorganic Materials including Park strips 36" or less: Permitted in
pervious materials(gravel, stone, 100%of the park strip surface area.
and boulders)or paving materials The use of plants in combination
(limited to brick, concrete, or natural with these materials is encouraged.
stone pavers) Park strips over 36" in width:
Permitted either as water-conserving
mulch for plants or may also be used
alone on portions of a park strip.
Paving materials shall be kept a
minimum of 18"away from existing
street trees.
Water Sufficient water shall be provided to
keep all plants in a healthy
condition.
Prohibited materials • Asphalt
• poured concrete,except in
park strips under 24"in
width or for carriage ways
less than 4 feet in width. If
used in park strips that are
24"or less in width,
concrete shall be finished
with a stamped pattern
resembling brick or natural
stone or scored with
another decorative pattern
to distinguish it from the
adjacent sidewalk.
• thorn-bearing plants
• structural encroachments
• plants(except trees),
boulders, and other objects
over 18" in height in site
distance areas
• The total coverage of all
organic mulch and
inorganic material used
without plants shall not
exceed 67%of the park
strip surface area.
G:\Ordina00\Park Strip Landscaping 21A.48.060 and 21A.62.040-4-14-00 clean.doc
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