General Design and Development Standards
Orange County, Florida
Chapter 24.
Section 4. General Design and Development Standards
(Interior Landscaping)
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Ordinance Number 2007-05
Enacted on May 22, 2007
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The landscaped areas are provided in interior vehicular use areas in order to provide visual and climatic relief from large expanses of pavement. They also help to define logical areas for pedestrian and vehicular circulation. They promote public health, safety and general welfare by providing minimum requirements for the installation of landscaped areas in connection with parking lots. These ordinances conserve the value of land and buildings on surrounding properties and neighborhoods.
Interior vehicular use areas are defined as all VUA’s
except those on a perimeter where a landscape screen is already required. At
least 10% of the interior VUA shall be landscaped. Each separate landscaped
area shall be a minimum of 25sq.ft. and will have 1 shade tree for every
100sq.ft. These landscaped areas adjacent to parking areas will be protected by
curbs or wheel stops. A maximum of 10 continuous parking spaces are allowed
without a landscape break. Landscape breaks are a minimum of 8ft.x8ft. and include 1 shade tree of an acceptable species.
Head to head (8ft.x16ft.) shall require 2 shade trees. Shade trees are a
minimum of 10ft. in height with a 3 inch caliper. Alternative solutions may
involve a 7ft. wide center median between all lineal rows of parking which face
head to head. These areas may be provided with 1 shade tree per 60 lineal ft.
of median. A landscaped island (singular or head to head) is required at the
end of each row of parking spaces. Singular minimum of 1 shade tree; head to
head minimum of 2 shade trees.
Landscape plans are to be prepared by a
landscape architect or a professional of similar practice that meets with the
local requirements. Before the plans can be installed they must first be approved by the Planning
Officials. Input or demands from community members for the continuation of
higher design standards will likely continue to raise the standards of design
requirements and solutions.
An interesting note in these guidelines for parking
lot interiors may be found in the fact that two completely different solutions
may be used to meet the design requirements. The first being landscaped areas adjacent to parking spaces, and the
second being a lineal separation of parking spaces using a landscape median.
More advanced or aggressive designers might think to go beyond the requirements
and use both solutions to maximize the aesthetic value that these guidelines
bring about.
URL
www.municode.com
(code/ordinance website)
http://www.orangecountyfl.net/cms/default.htm
(Orange County website)
Chad Prejean