§ 60.223. One-Family and Two-Family Residential Development Standards.

All landscaping improvements and modifications must conform to the below requirements. Landscaping upgrade to the below standards is required for new development or upon substantial enlargement of an existing property; in such cases, the Building Official shall not issue a Certificate of Occupancy until compliance is achieved. During the permitting process, the requirements of this section shall be noted on the development plan; however this section shall not require the submittal of a separate landscape plan unless required by other provisions in this Code or any other development order.

(a)

Planting Design.

1.

Building Site. Turfgrass shall not exceed 60% of the total pervious area of a building site. The remaining area shall be landscaped with shrubs, groundcovers and annuals, or a combination thereof.

2.

Front Yard. At least 40% of the pervious area of the front and street sideyards shall be landscaped with shrubs and groundcovers, or a combination thereof. The remainder may be planted with turfgrass, annuals and vegetable gardens, up to a maximum of 60%.

3.

Plant Selection. Permanent landscape plants shall be selected based on appropriateness to site conditions such as soil type, moisture, and sunlight. Suggested references are Florida Friendly Landscaping (Florida Yards and Neighborhoods program of the University of Florida), St. Johns River Water Management District Waterwise Landscape Database and the Approved Plant List (Figure 12). It is highly recommended that vegetable gardeners take a course from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Services (UF/IFAS) to plant a successful garden for Orlando's unique climate.

4.

Exotic Plants. No plants listed as invasive exotic species under Florida Statutes [section] 581.091, or as Category I invasive exotic species by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC) shall be installed.

5.

Mulch. No cypress mulch is allowed.

6.

Non-Vegetative Materials. Stone, gravel, and rock beds may be used as an accent, but shall not be considered permanent landscaping, and does not meet the intent of this code when a substantial portion of the landscape is non-vegetative material.

(b)

Street Trees. Street trees shall be required in accordance with Chapter 60, Part 2D. Street trees shall not be counted toward meeting the on-site tree requirement.

(c)

On-Site Trees. Each one-family or two-family lot shall have canopy trees (with a minimum 2-inch caliper each) planted or retained as follows:

1.

A minimum of 2 canopy trees for lots 6,000 square feet or less.

2.

A minimum of 3 canopy trees for lots between 6,001 and 10,000 square feet.

3.

A minimum of 4 canopy trees for lots between 10,001 square feet to 14,000 square feet.

4.

A minimum of 6 canopy trees for lots between 14,001 square feet to 20,000 square feet.

5.

A minimum of 9 canopy trees for lots between 20,001 and 43,560 square feet (1 acre).

6.

A minimum of 12 canopy trees for each acre for lots greater than 1 acre.

7.

For duplex or tandem building site lots less than 10,001 sq. ft. at least one of the required canopy trees must be in the front yard. For duplex or tandem building site lots equal to or greater than 10,001 sq. ft., at least two of the required canopy trees must be in the front yard.

On-site trees shall not be removed below the above minimum standards to establish vegetable gardens, landscape improvements, or site improvements, unless otherwise replaced.

(d)

Preserved Trees. Each existing healthy tree with a canopy spread larger than 800 square feet that is preserved, other than trees listed by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC) as an invasive or exotic species, shall count as 2 of the required trees.

(e)

Substitute Trees. Each required canopy tree may be substituted by 3 palms (with clear trunks of at least 7' above grade) or 2 understory trees; however, a minimum of 1 canopy tree shall be planted or retained for each 6,000 square feet of lot area.

(f)

Irrigation Systems. Landscape irrigation systems are not required on one-family and two-family lots.

If installed, irrigation systems shall be grouped according to high, medium and low water needs, with separate zones for turf and landscaping beds, without mixed heads to maximize water application efficiency. All irrigation systems must have a properly installed, set and maintained rain shutoff device per state law. Irrigation systems that are provided must be indicated on the building plans for the applicable lot and the site must comply with one of the following methods:

1.

There is no turf on the site.

2.

Water for irrigation is only provided from non-potable or non-well sources.

3.

Irrigation is provided by a low-volume system that incorporates micro-irrigation or drip emitters, or multiple-trajectory rotating stream nozzles.

4.

Install soil-moisture sensors or a weather-based evapotranspiration (ET) controller.

5.

Irrigation system is certified by Florida Water Star, by the appropriate water management district.

(g)

Waterfront Swales. Any development abutting a water body (including natural water bodies and wet retention ponds) shall provide a planted pollution-control swale or other landscape feature approved by the Zoning Official, upland of the normal high-water elevation, along the entire length of the waterfront. The swale shall be designed as follows:

1.

The swale shall be a minimum of 6-feet in width.

2.

Turfgrass and non-native ornamental plants shall not be planted closer than 10-feet from the normal high water elevation.

3.

The swale and littoral area shall be planted with native and native aquatic plants covering 75% of the area.

[(h)

Reserved.]

(i)

Front Yard Structures. No structure in the front or street side yard shall be greater than four feet in height. Temporary items are limited to 5-feet in height. However, the Zoning Official may authorize a single decorative gate arbor or similar structure with a footprint of less than twelve square feet in area, with a maximum height of eight feet, to intersect with a pedestrian pathway in the front or street side yard. The Zoning Official may also authorize an increase of the footprint of front yard structures up to twenty square feet through a Modification of Standards.

All accessory structures and other items (including, but not limited to swimming pools, decks, hydroponic gardens, above ground aquaculture, coops, sheds, play equipment, storage and composting bins) shall not be placed in the front and street side yards and must conform with any other requirement of the Land Development Code.

(j)

Maintenance Requirements. All areas shall be kept free of weeds, debris and litter. All planting materials shall be well maintained in a healthy growing condition. Overgrowth, diseased or dead plant materials shall be removed and replaced. No landscape materials shall block or impair sidewalks, driveways, pathways and address signs, nor block appropriate sightlines for driveways as required by the City Engineer.

Additional landscape maintenance requirements:

1.

Drainage. Landscape improvements and any subsequent grading shall not have adverse drainage impacts to neighboring properties or rights-of-way.

2.

Clear Area. Side yards shall have a minimum 3-foot clear area that provides an improved surface or is planted with mulch, turf or groundcover to allow for emergency access around the principal structure.

3.

Buffers. A minimum three-foot permanently planted buffer (no annuals, tender perennials or vegetable gardens) shall be planted at the neighboring property lines in front and street side yards, unless a fence is installed at the neighboring property line for the entire length of the front or street side yard.

4.

Rights-of-Way. No vegetable gardens are allowed in the public rights-of-way.

5.

Cultivation. If a front or street side yard vegetable garden is fallow or not actively cultivated for a period of three months, it shall be landscaped with permanent plantings from the Approved Plant List, other annual plantings or turfgrass, or a combination thereof.

6.

Edge Treatment Required for Vegetable Gardens. Vegetable gardens in the front or street side yards must incorporate one of the following edge treatments along public rights-of-way:

a.

A fence, 3 to 4 feet in height.

b.

A planter box enclosed on all sides, setback minimum of 18-inches from rights-of-way.

c.

A 3-foot permanently planted buffer (no annuals or tender perennials).

d.

Other landscape feature approved by the Zoning Official (swale, rain garden, etc.) that contains soil and water on the building site.

(Ord. No. 2013-74, § 1, 12-9-2013, Doc. #1312091207; Ord. No. 2017-17, § 7, 4-10-2017, Doc. #17041012)