To Second Annotated Code of Naples, FL
The Landscape Ordinance of Naples, Florida
Home to some twenty thousand people, the city of Naples, Florida, is sometimes referred to as the crown jewel of Southwest Florida. Although Naples is known for it’s luxurious landscapes, city planners claim that little of this credit is due to any sort of strict landscape code. According to city planner Ann Walker, the city landscape code has “minimal requirements for landscaping” and is “mostly used for parking lot screening.” According to Ms. Walker, “the community members take credit” for keeping Naples so beautiful. An analysis of Naples code reveals that this is only partially the truth. Through the use of the Municipal Code Corporation’s online resources, URL http://livepublish.municode.com/6/lpext.dll?f=templates&fn=main.j-htm&vid=10201
I discovered the major elements of the existing code revolve around landscape requirements for parking areas and landscape yards in property setbacks. In addition to its own landscape codes, the city of Naples conforms to the codes of Collier County.
Naples sets several general standards for any landscaped area. Requirements of the plan are extensive and include all site elements and dimensions, planting plans, irrigation, as well as a stormwater management plan with calculations. Other requirements include installation standards, maintenance requirements, a tree replacement clause and a brief blurb about the preservation of existing materials.
Section 102-855, “Parking and Landscape Requirements,” states that “landscaping is intended to enhance the visual experience of the motoring and pedestrian public. Landscaping should be used to enhance and complement the site design and building architecture.” Code dictates a minimum of thirty square feet of landscaping per parking space and that it shall “be located in such a manner as to divide and break up the expanse of paving and provide a measure of shade and visual relief.” The code goes on to require that each landscape area must be five feet deep and thirty square feet minimum. Each separate area must include one canopy tree with a minimum height of ten feet at the time of planting per one hundred square feet of planting area. Section 855 goes on to indicate planting standards for front yards, including adherence to the Florida Grades and Standards for Nursery Plants, minimum planting distance and minimum caliper size. Tree types are also regulated for varying areas of the town, requiring specific trees for particular streets so as to maintain a strong sense of place.
Section 106-74, “Development Standards,” defines the requirements for front setbacks and Vehicular Use Areas (VUAs). The minimum size of a front setback is the same as that of a parking area, thirty square feet in area and no less than five feet in width. One tree is required for each landscaped area, but only per one hundred eighty square feet rather than one hundred. For any VUA that faces a public right of way (ROW), a six-foot strip must be located between the ROW and the VUA. Each thirty linear feet requires one tree and code requires that a barrier of at least two feet in height must run the length of the landscaped area. Non-living barriers must be accompanied by plant material. For VUAS that are adjacent to residential or institutional uses, a similar buffer must be constructed that is seventy-five percent opaque at a height of three feet. Structures may be substituted but are subject to further requirements.
To ensure adherence to the landscape code, Naples has several controls in place that allow the supervising authorities to reject a plan. A landscape plan, complete at the proper scale with the appropriate symbols and standards, is required. The installed landscape must match the plan, and adhere to standard practices for installation of plant materials. Should the property fail to meet any of these guidelines, the Planning Commission will withhold the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy until the requirements are met. The city also has standards for maintenance which require the property to keep up a “healthy, neat and orderly appearance” and also requires the replacement of dead shrubs or trees within thirty days. Should a property fail to comply, the Planning Commission can issue a citation against the owner(s).
While Ms. Walker may feel that it the city of Naples relies on good-hearted citizenry to maintain the beauty of their city, the city in truth relies on a well-written landscape code that sets design standards and leaves some leeway for landscape architects to implement specific solutions. By mandating tree selections in certain districts and requiring some moderate landscaping, the code of Naples helps the city maintain it’s unique sense of place. Certainly, if such decisions were left up to the goodwill of the contractor, Naples would not be the place it is today.
Nathan Elliott