§ 60.225. Design.

(a)

Plant Selection. All plants used to meet the requirements of this Part shall be selected from the Approved Plant List, Figure 12, or as approved by the Zoning Official if sufficient documentation that the plant possesses the characteristics required is provided with the permit application. The Approved Plant List includes botanical and common names, Spacing Category for trees, mature height and canopy spread, growth habit, soil requirements, wind resistance for trees, soil moisture requirements, and general cultural notes. Recommended additional references for plant cultural characteristics are provided by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Services (UF/IFAS) and the St. Johns River Water Management District Waterwise landscaping references or its successor.

1.

Plants (except prohibited species) which are not listed in the Approved Plant List or approved by the Zoning Official may be used but shall not be eligible to receive points toward meeting the minimum number of points required for permit approval.

2.

Plants listed as Category I invasive exotic species by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC) are prohibited species and shall not be installed. Existing Category I invasive exotic plants shall be removed from the site. Additionally, no landscape plan shall incorporate prohibited invasive exotic plant species as described in section 581.091, Florida Statutes. Plants listed in the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services rule, Chapter 5B-57, Florida Administrative Code shall not be used.

3.

Plants listed as Category II invasive exotic species by FLEPPC are not prohibited but are ineligible to receive points in the Non-Residential and Multifamily Landscape Worksheet.

4.

In order to absorb and slow stormwater runoff, and to mitigate erosion, wind-borne dust, heat gain, and noise, at least 45% of new trees shall be evergreen or semi-deciduous (example: live oak).

5.

Plants shall be grouped according to site conditions and water needs, as follows:

High Water Use Zone: Plants which are associated with moist soils and require supplemental water in addition to natural rainfall to survive. This zone includes most turfgrass areas.

Moderate Water Use Zone: Plants which survive on natural rainfall with supplemental water during seasonal dry periods. Bahiagrass turf is considered moderate water use.

Low Water Use Zone: Plants which survive on natural rainfall without supplemental water.

6.

Solar orientation for plants must be considered. Plants with similar cultural requirements (such as soil and climate) shall be grouped together.

(b)

Street Trees. Street trees shall be provided in accordance with Chapter 60, Part 2D.

(c)

Tree Spacing. The Spacing Category is based on root zone, height, and canopy, and shall be used to describe minimum spacing of installed trees. Minimum spacing distance between two trees shall be the radius of the Category of one tree added to the radius of the Category of the other. Figure 10 depicts the minimum spacing of trees of like and different Spacing Category. Existing trees to be retained are exempt from the minimum required spacing. However, installed trees shall be planted no closer to existing trees than the Spacing Category allows. For example, a new persimmon tree (Category 'C') should be planted no closer than 23 feet to a live oak (Category 'A').

Figure 10. Tree Spacing Categories

(d)

Turfgrass. Turfgrass areas shall not exceed 60% of the landscape area (sports fields, golf courses, and stormwater management retention/detention ponds, swales or other stormwater management systems shall be excluded from this calculation). The Landscape Plan shall label the use of turf areas, turf species and varieties, and the total turf area of the site indicated as a percentage of the landscape area. Turfgrass shall not be placed on slopes exceeding 4:1, and shall not be placed within 10 feet of a natural water body, except where needed for erosion control.

(e)

Mulch. A layer of organic mulch to a minimum depth of 2" shall be specified on the landscape plans in plant beds and around newly installed individual trees. Cypress mulch shall not be used.

(f)

Utilities and Infrastructure. All existing and proposed overhead and underground utilities shall be shown on the landscape plan.

1.

Installed trees shall be planted no closer to overhead electric transmission lines than prescribed by the National Electric Reliability Council (NERC). This shall mean that the projected canopy spread of the tree at maturity (as indicated in the Approved Plant List) shall not be closer to the electric transmission line than ten feet.

2.

Installed trees shall be planted no closer to overhead electric distribution lines than depicted in Figure 11, based on tree species Spacing Categories; except that trees which do not exceed a natural mature height of 25 feet may be installed underneath overhead electric distribution lines.

Figure 11. Minimum Tree Planting Setbacks from Overhead Electric Distribution Lines

(g)

When a landscape plan is required, soil analysis shall be required for all building sites more than 0.5 acre. The plants selected shall be appropriate to the soil pH, amount of organic matter and other factors resulting from the soil analysis. The soil analysis must be based on random sampling and must be performed by a commercial soil testing lab or University of Florida/IFAS Cooperative Extension facility. The soil analysis must include soil texture, percentage of organic matter, pH levels, total soluble salts, and estimated soil infiltration rate.

1.

Existing horticulturally suitable topsoil shall be stockpiled and re-spread during final site grading. Any new soil required shall be similar to the existing soil in pH, texture, and permeability, unless evidence is provided indicating that a different soil amendment is justified.

2.

The use of solid waste compost as a soil amendment is encouraged.

(h)

Street Corner Visibility. All landscaping at the intersections of streets and driveways shall comply with the street corner visibility and driveway sight distance requirements of the Orlando Engineering Standards Manual (ESM) and Chapter 61 of Orlando City Code. If the project abuts a Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) roadway, the landscaping shall meet the requirements of the FDOT Manual of Uniform Minimum Standards for Design, Construction and Maintenance for Streets and Highways (as revised from time to time). Drivers' clear sight distance lines shall be shown on the landscape plans.

(i)

All vegetated areas to be preserved shall be shown on the plans.

(j)

Professional Design. Required landscape plans for sites greater than ½-acre in size shall be prepared and submitted by a Florida-registered landscape architect. One-family and two-family residential projects are exempt from this requirement.

(Ord. No. 2013-74, § 1, 12-9-2013, Doc. #1312091207)