§ 60.233. General Requirements.

The property owner, occupant and/or agent shall be jointly and individually responsible for installing landscaping, using plant materials of species which are native or adapted to the Orlando area.

(a)

Existing Plant Material. The Zoning Official may adjust the application of standards contained herein to allow credit for existing healthy plant material on a building site to be retained during and after development.

(b)

Protection. Landscaped areas shall be protected from vehicular encroachment with effective wheel stops or curbs.

(c)

Anchoring. Wherever newly installed trees with calipers of 2" or greater are installed they shall be anchored to maintain the tree in a vertical upright position for a period of at least 1 year, to provide sufficient time for roots to become established. Single staking of new trees with calipers of 4" or greater shall be prohibited.

(d)

Tree Health. Trees used to satisfy the requirements of this Part shall be in good health. A determination as to the health of trees need not be made in advance of their use; however, poor tree health may be established at any point during the development process in either of the following ways:

1.

The applicant may claim poor tree health as a reason to remove an existing tree which would otherwise be required to be retained. To do so, the applicant shall submit an expert evaluation by a certified arborist, landscape architect, horticulturalist, urban forester or other expert as part of his or her tree removal permit application.

2.

The Zoning Official may claim poor tree health as a reason for disallowing a new or existing tree in satisfying the requirements of this Part. The applicant may rebut such a claim by submitting an expert evaluation by a certified arborist, landscape architect, horticulturalist, urban forester or other expert to the Zoning Official, who shall make a final determination. If the expert evaluation recommends recuperative measures to improve tree health, the Zoning Official may condition the retention of the tree upon these measures, and may reassess the health of the tree after a 1-year recuperation period.

(e)

Minimum Planting Areas for Installed Trees. The minimum planting areas for all installed trees shall be as follows:

1.

On-Site Trees.

a.

Canopy trees:     5.0' radius from center of tree.

b.

Understory trees:   2.5' radius from center of tree.

c.

Palms:           1.0' radius from edge of tree.

2.

Street Trees.

a.

Canopy trees:      7.5' or greater parkway width:

No special requirements.

5' to less than 7.5' parkway width:

Root barriers (24" depth, 12 feet in length) required adjacent to curb and sidewalk.

Less than 5' parkway width:

Root barrier (24" depth, 12' in length) required adjacent to curb. Structural soil or root tunnels required underneath sidewalk.

b.

Understory trees:  5' or greater parkway width:

No special requirements.

Less than 4' parkway width: Root tunnels or structural soil required underneath sidewalk.

(f)

Waiver of Minimum Planting Area for Installed Trees. To allow for dense urban development, such as plazas with tree wells and grates, the minimum planting area may be waived by the Zoning Official if special design techniques, such as the use of structural soil, soil cells, root tunnels, and root barriers, are incorporated.

(g)

Plant Quality. Grass sod shall be reasonably free of weeds and noxious pests or disease. All installed plant materials shall be graded Florida #1 or better as outlined under current Grades and Standards for Nursery Plants, Division of Plant Industry, State of Florida. All plants not listed shall conform to a Florida No. 1 or better as to: health and vitality; condition of foliage; root system; freedom from pest or mechanical damage; and heavily branched and densely foliated according to the accepted normal shape of the species.

(h)

Berms. When a berm is used to form a visual screen, its slopes shall not exceed 3:1, and it shall be completely covered with shrubs, grass or other living ground cover.

(i)

Ground Covers. Ground covers shall be planted in a manner so as to present a finished appearance with reasonably complete coverage under normal growing conditions within 12 months after planting. All improved and disturbed property in the City, including residential, shall have ground cover or turfgrass installed and maintained in those areas not otherwise planted with landscaping or covered by structures or pavement.

(j)

Turfgrass. Turfgrass shall be of a species adapted to Central Florida. Turf may be sodded, plugged, sprigged or seeded except that solid sod shall be used in swales or other areas subject to erosion.

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