N.J. Admin. Code § 19:66-7.6

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 19:66-7.6 - Landscaping and buffer design standards

(a) A landscape plan shall be submitted with all applications for new construction, additions, and site improvements, or as otherwise required by this chapter.

(b) The landscape plan shall include the following:

1. Proposed plantings, hardscape areas, stormwater management areas, and items requiring screening;

2. Existing trees with a six-inch caliper or greater;

3. All trees to be preserved or relocated;

4. A plant schedule indicating botanical and common names, quantity, size at time of planting (including plant height and caliper, where applicable), size at time of maturity, and spacing of all proposed plantings; and

5. Construction details and notes for plantings.

(c) Plant standards for landscaping are as follows:

1. All proposed plantings shall conform to the American Standard for Nursery Stock, (ANSI Z60.1-2014), published April 14, 2014, by the AmericanHort, which is incorporated herein by reference, as amended and supplemented, and available at http://americanhort.org/documents/ANSI_Nursery_Stock_Standards_AmericanHort_2014.pdf. Plantings shall also conform to hardiness zone six standards of the 2012 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Plant Hardiness Zone Map, as developed by the USDA, Miscellaneous Publication No. 1475, which is incorporated herein by reference, as amended and supplemented. The map is available through the USDA and other cooperative extensions. A web-based interactive Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2001 US National Arboretum "Web Version" of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map) can be found in the United States National Arboretum website at http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/.

2. All shade trees shall be a minimum of 2.5 to three inches in caliper and 12 feet in height at the time of planting.

3. All evergreen and ornamental trees shall not be less than six feet in height at the time of planting.

4. All upright shrubs shall not be less than 24 to 30 inches in height at the time of planting; all spreading shrubs shall not be less than 24 to 30 inches in spread at the time of planting.

(d) Design requirements for landscaping are as follows:

1. Plants located within the line of sight triangles in accordance with the provisions of this chapter shall not exceed a height of 30 inches at maturity.

2. Shade trees shall be provided in the required front yard adjacent to public streets. At least one shade tree for each 40 linear feet of frontage shall be provided.

3. A minimum of one shade tree shall be provided for every 10 parking spaces or one shade tree for each 3,000 square feet of parking area, whichever is greater, which shall be distributed evenly within the parking area.

4. Shrubs shall be provided in the required front yard adjacent to public streets. At least five shrubs for each 40 linear feet of frontage shall be provided.

5. A minimum of five shrubs shall be provided for every 10 parking spaces or a minimum of five shrubs for each 3,000 square feet of parking area, whichever is greater, which shall be distributed evenly within the parking area.

6. Screening requirements are as follows:

i. All parking areas containing six or more parking spaces shall be effectively screened from public or private ROWs by a fence, wall, landscaped berm, or densely planted evergreens at a minimum height of four feet. Deciduous shrubs may be used for screening in conjunction with a berm not less than two and one-half feet in height.

ii. All parking areas shall be screened from adjacent residential uses by a solid and continuous fence, wall, landscaped berm or densely planted evergreens capable of maturing to a minimum of six feet in height.

iii. All loading and trailer parking areas shall be effectively screened with a solid and continuous fence in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, supplemented by evergreens capable of maturing to a height and width sufficient to screen such areas and vehicles from public ROWs and adjacent residential uses.

iv. All site service improvements and utility improvements, such as transformer compounds and external heating and cooling equipment; refuse and recycling areas; and outdoor storage, display, or work areas, where permitted, shall be enclosed by a solid and continuous fence, wall, or evergreen plant material sufficient to screen such activity from adjacent properties and public ROWs.

7. For consistency with the coastal zone management vegetation rule at N.J.A.C. 7:7-16.7(b), an applicant shall provide for the preservation, to the maximum extent practicable, of existing vegetation within the development, and any new plantings should be appropriate coastal species, native to New Jersey to the maximum extent practicable.

(e) All landscaping shall be completed before occupancy certification is issued by the Authority. Delay in performance may be permitted by the posting of sufficient security in a form acceptable to the Authority to ensure completion of this requirement.

(f) All new development within the Tourism District shall provide for buffers to protect adjacent land uses from the traffic, noise, glare, trash, activity, vibration, odor, visual disorder, and other harmful or noxious effects, and to prevent adverse community appearance, protect the character of the area, and conserve the values of buildings and land.

(g) All buffers shall comply with the following requirements:

1. Buffers must be at least five feet wide;

2. Within a buffer area, a solid and continuous landscaping screen shall be planted and maintained, which shall consist of lawn, massed evergreen, and deciduous trees and shrubs of such species and density as will provide within two growing seasons a solid and continuous screen throughout the full course of the year, with trees shall be planted on 25 to 40 foot centers;

3. All required shrub plantings for any buffer yards shall form a solid continuous visual screen of at least six feet in height within one year after planting; and

4. Within a buffer area, no use, activity, or sign shall be established, except for the following:

i. Such driveways as are necessary to provide proper means of ingress and egress for a parking area.

ii. Directional signs in conjunction with a driveway that are necessary for the proper guidance and control of vehicular traffic, provided that not more than one such sign is erected in conjunction with each driveway.

iii. Walkways, nature trails, or similar facilities provided that such buffer is at least 60 feet in width.

(h) The required height for a landscape screen shall be measured in relation to the elevation of the land at the edge of the adjacent area or structure to be buffered. Where the ground elevation of the location at which the screen is to be planted is less than the elevation at the edge of the adjacent area to be buffered, the required height of the screen shall be increased in an amount equal to the difference in elevation. In the event that the ground elevation of the location at which the screen is to be planted is greater than that at the edge of the adjacent area to be buffered, the required height of the screen may be reduced in an amount equal to the difference in elevation, provided that in no case shall the required height be reduced to less than three feet.

(i) If the Authority, upon inspection, determines that the buffer is not being maintained in good condition, it shall notify the owner in writing. In the event that any planting required by this subchapter fails to live, it shall be replaced within a reasonable period of time, but not more than 45 calendar days.

N.J. Admin. Code § 19:66-7.6

Adopted by 50 N.J.R. 217(a), effective 1/2/2018