§ 6.06.03. General Standards and Guidelines

A.

Plant Species

1.

Plant species shall be appropriate for their designated use and environment.

2.

Using the concept of a "Florida Friendly Landscape" or Xeriscape®, a landscape plan shall be submitted identifying all existing vegetation to be preserved, proposed turf areas and other landscape areas. Installed trees and plants should be grouped together into landscape plant zones according to water and cultural (soil, climate and light) requirements. Plant groupings based on water requirements are as follows: natural, drought tolerant and oasis. Information about xeriscape landscaping and the selection of appropriate plant species can be obtained from the Hillsborough County Cooperative Extension Service.

3.

A minimum of 50 percent of the required trees shall be native species, or hybrids or cultivars of native species.

4.

A minimum variety of tree species shall be provided as indicated below. Each species shall comprise a minimum of ten percent of the total number of trees required.

Total No. of Trees	Minimum No. of Species
10—19	2
20—29	3
30—over	4

 

5.

To avoid a power line conflict, vegetation that exceeds 25 feet in height at maturity shall not be planted closer than 30 feet of the vertical plane of an existing power line, excluding service wires. The Administrator may grant an exemption to this requirement upon the applicant's ability to demonstrate the canopy growth structure of a proposed species will not create conflict with an existing power line. Consultation with the local utility representative should occur for assistance on selecting suitable vegetative species.

6.

Non-living ground cover, such as rocks, gravel, and mulch, may be used in combination with living plant material. The use of artificial plants shall not be permitted to meet any of the landscaping requirements.

B.

Minimum Number of Trees

A minimum number of trees shall be required based on development type and area. Credit shall be given for existing trees as specified in 6.06.03 C. The minimum number of trees shall be as shown below, unless a greater number of trees is required to meet the screening requirements of 6.06.06 C or the off-street vehicular use area landscaping requirements of 6.06.04. On a single-family or two-family residential lot, a minimum of 50 percent of the required trees shall be shade trees. The Administrator shall provide a list of suggested shade trees.

Development Type	No. of Trees
Single-Family or Two-family residential Lot
>43,560 sq. ft.	8
>21,780—<43,560 sq. ft.	6
>10,890—<21,780 sq. ft.	4
≤10,890 sq. ft.	2
≤7,000 sq. ft. or lot width less than 75′	1 shade tree*
Multifamily Residential (≤ 12 u/a**)	8/ga
Mobile Home Park (≤ 12 u/a)	8/ga
Recreational Vehicle Park (≤ 12 u/a)	8/ga
Residential Support Use	8/ga
Recreational Facilities	8/ga**
Multifamily Residential (> 12 u/a)	6/ga
Mobile Home Park (> 12 u/a)	6/ga
Recreational Vehicle Park (> 12 u/a)	6/ga
Office, Neighborhood/General/Regional Commercial	6/ga
Intensive/Heavy Commercial, Industrial, Wastewater Treatment Plant	6/ga

 

* This requirement applies only to subdivision lots which also have a street tree planting requirement

** u/a = units per acre

*** ga = gross acre

C.

Credit

1.

Trees.

a.

When trees are required to meet the landscaping requirements, credit for the use of existing trees shall be given according to tree size as provided in the following table:

Crown Spread (feet)		DBH (inches)	No. of Tree Credits
90 or greater	or	35 or greater	7
60—89	or	30—34	6
50—59	or	25—29	5
40—49	or	20—24	4
30—39	or	15—19	3
20—29	or	10—14	2
5—19	or	1—9	1

 

b.

To receive credit for the preservation of an existing tree, the following requirements must be met:

(1)

The developer shall comply with the requirements of the Natural Resources Regulations pertaining to tree protection;

(2)

The tree shall not be irreparably damaged from skinning, debarking, or the like;

(3)

The tree shall be free of active disease or insect infestation potentially lethal to the tree;

(4)

The tree shall meet the landscaping requirements for location and the minimum quality; and

(5)

No credit shall be given for trees within natural areas to be preserved.

(6)

No credit shall be given for exempted trees, as defined in this Code.

c.

If, any time within one year after all associated land alteration and construction activities are completed, a tree for which credit was given is dead or irreparably damaged or unhealthy as a result of these activities, then it shall be removed and replaced by the current property owner.

2.

Other Vegetation. Instances where existing vegetation other than trees is retained as part of a site's development, credit shall be allowed for this plant material when such an adjustment is in keeping with the intent of these regulations.

D.

Landscaping Material

The following plant material standards shall be considered the minimum requirements for complying with the Landscaping Regulations, unless specified differently elsewhere in these regulations.

1.

Quality. Plant material shall conform to the standards for Grade #1 or better as given in the latest "Grades and Standards for Nursery Plants, Parts I and II," Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services or to the standards as given in the latest "American Standard for Nursery Stock," American National Standards Institute.

2.

Installation. All landscaping shall be installed according to sound nursery practices. Plants grown in containers prior to installation shall be removed from their containers before they are planted in the ground. A layer of mulch to a minimum depth of three inches shall be specified in plant beds and around individual trees in turf areas. Organic mulches are preferred. Mulch shall not be required in annual beds.

3.

Trees. At the time of planting, a tree shall have a minimum height of six feet. The use of exempted tree species to meet the requirements of the landscaping regulations shall be prohibited.

4.

Palms. Where palms are used, three palms shall constitute one tree, except multi-stem palms and species in the genus Phoenix (excluding roebelenii). Single specimens of these exceptions shall each constitute one tree. At the time of planting, a palm shall have a minimum of six feet of clear trunk.

5.

Shrubs. When used for screening purposes, shrubs shall be cold tolerant and non-deciduous and have a minimum height of 24 inches at the time of planting and shall be spaced a maximum of three feet on center.

6.

Vines. At the time of planting, vines shall have a minimum of three runners, each with a minimum length of approximately one foot.

7.

Ground Cover Plants. Ground cover plants shall be spaced so as to present a finished appearance and have reasonably complete coverage within one year after planting. The use of any non-living ground cover such as mulch, gravel, rocks, etc. shall be in conjunction with living plants so as to cover exposed soil.

8.

Grassed Areas. Site Development Projects. No more than 50 percent of the landscaped area may be planted with shallow-rooted turfgrass varieties. These turfgrass varieties shall be consolidated in and limited to areas that are provided with central automatic irrigation systems. The balance of the landscaped area shall be vegetated with water conserving varieties of trees, shrubs, ground covers, turfgrass, and/or mulches. Stormwater ponds, parks, recreational facilities, and steepsloped areas are excluded from this requirement.

E.

Maintenance and Protection of Landscaping

1.

The property owner shall be responsible for the maintenance of all landscaped areas which shall be maintained in good condition so as to present a healthy, neat and orderly appearance, free of refuse, debris and weeds.

2.

To maintain the landscaping in a healthy condition, all landscaped areas shall be provided with an irrigation system that supplies 100 percent coverage to all required landscaping plant material. The irrigation system may consist of an automatic or manual underground system, drip system, quick coupling valves, or hose bibs located within 50 feet of all landscaping plant material.

3.

The landscape and irrigation system shall be maintained and managed to ensure water efficiency and prevent wasteful practices. This should include, but not be limited to, resetting the automatic controller according to the season, flushing the filters, testing the rain sensor device, monitoring, adjusting and repairing irrigation equipment such that the efficiency of the system is maintained; replenishing mulch, utilizing turf and landscape best management practices.

4.

Where necessary to prevent encroachment by parked or moving vehicles into landscaped areas, wheel stops or curbs shall be used and shall measure a minimum of six inches in height and six inches in width.

5.

Paving, treating or covering a required landscaped area in a way that renders it impervious is prohibited.

F.

Irrigation

1.

An irrigation plan shall be submitted illustrating the proposed irrigation zones, delineating micro-irrigation and areas utilizing irrigation techniques other than micro-irrigation. The irrigation system should be designed to Standards and Specifications for Turf and Landscape Irrigation Systems, Fourth Edition, 2000, Florida Irrigation Society and as subsequently amended, or other applicable standards that achieve the general irrigation system configuration requirements and associated water conservation benefits identified in this part.

2.

Turf areas shall be on separate irrigation zones from other landscape plant zones. The irrigation system should be designed to accommodate separate landscape plant zones based on differing water requirements.

3.

Sprinkler spacing shall not exceed 55 percent of the sprinkler's diameter of coverage.

4.

Sprays and rotors shall not be combined on the same control valve circuit. Sprays and rotors shall have matching application rates within each irrigation zone.

5.

All irrigation systems shall be designed to avoid overspray, runoff, low head drainage or other similar conditions where water flows onto or over adjacent property, non-irrigated areas, walkways, roadways, structures or water features. Narrow areas (four feet wide or less) shall not be irrigated unless micro-irrigation is utilized.

6.

Irrigation control equipment shall include an automatic irrigation controller having program flexibility such as repeat cycles and multiple program capabilities. Automatic irrigation controller(s), other than mechanical, shall have battery back-up to retain the irrigation program(s). Automatic Control systems shall be equipped with an operable rain sensor device or other technology acceptable to Hillsborough County to override the irrigation cycle during periods of adequate rainfall or soil moisture levels to support the vegetation served by the system.

7.

A low volume irrigation system shall be used wherever possible to minimize evaporation.

8.

An irrigation system shall use the lowest quality water available.

9.

An irrigation system shall be designed to minimize adverse impacts to existing trees and other vegetation to be preserved on the site. No irrigation shall be required within areas where existing vegetation is preserved.

G.

Stormwater Detention Ponds

1.

The following design guidelines are recommended for landscaping the littoral zone of man-made stormwater detention basins that function as wet ponds. (Figure 6.8):

a.

A landscaped littoral shelf should be incorporated along a minimum of 30 percent of the pond bank. To create this landscaped littoral shelf, the slope between the normal water level elevation and three feet below the normal water level elevation should be no greater than 6:1.

b.

The littoral shelf should be landscaped with native wetland plants. This landscaping material should consist of a diversity of herbaceous species, such as cordgrass, soft rush, arrowhead, pickerelweed and water lilies. (If trees are used, they shall be planted only on islands so as not to interfere with the maintenance of the drainage facility). All wetland species used for landscaping should be planted at elevations appropriate for their type.

c.

To prevent erosion deltas from forming along the landscaped littoral shelf, bank slopes landward of the shelf should be no greater than 4:1 and should be stabilized with sod.

d.

To prevent the littoral shelf from sloughing, the slope below the shelf should be no greater than 2:1.

2.

These guidelines do not supersede or waive any County regulations regarding the design or landscaping of stormwater detention ponds.

3.

If the proposed landscaping of a stormwater detention pond complies with the recommended guidelines, the Administrator shall give credit toward meeting the development project's minimum landscaping requirements in cases where a reduction of the minimum requirements does not subvert the intent of the Landscaping Regulations.

Figure 6.8, Stormwater Detention Basin

H.

Road Right-of-Way

1.

Public and private road right-of-way may contain trees and other landscaping material provided their location does not present a traffic hazard, impede drainage, or adversely interfere with the use of the right-of-way by utilities.

2.

Written approval from the Florida Department of Transportation shall be required for all landscaping materials proposed for placement on State Highway System rights-of-way.

I.

Scenic Roadways

1.

Notwithstanding the provisions of the Landscaping Regulations, other landscaping standards shall apply to any roadway that the Board by ordinance designates a Scenic Roadway to protect its special visual character. Scenic roadways designated by ordinance are those Scenic Roadway Corridors identified on the Future Land Use Map of the Comprehensive Plan.

2.

Upon designation of any scenic roadway, all site plans, permits, improvements, including maintenance thereon, shall be in accordance with the following standards and any other roadway-specific, Board-approved plan for the designated scenic roadway.

a.

Rural Scenic Roadways. In rural areas, in the AM, A, AR, AE, PEC 1/2, and RES-1 Comprehensive Land Use Plan classifications there shall be a 30-foot scenic easement provided, which shall be left in a natural state, unless actively used for agricultural purposes. Land in agricultural use may continue in agricultural use.

b.

Suburban Scenic Roadways. In suburban zones, including RES-2, RP-2, and RES-4 Comprehensive Land Use Plan classifications, a 15-foot bufferyard with four canopy trees and four understory trees per 100 linear feet shall be provided. In addition, if street trees do not exist, the developer shall provide one street tree for every 50 feet.

c.

Urban Scenic Roadways. All other Comprehensive Plan Classifications shall be considered urban. These districts shall require the planting of one street tree per 40 feet of frontage. The planting of one canopy tree for every 50 feet of yard frontage shall also be required.

3.

Compliance with the scenic roadway requirements shall in no case result in a non-conforming use. If the property has sufficient area for the scenic easement or bufferyard, no building permits shall be issued that would result in encroachment. If the property does not have sufficient area for the scenic easement or bufferyard, any use permitted in the zoning district shall be allowed to encroach into this area the minimum amount necessary to meet other setback requirements.

(Ord. No. 01-30, § 2, 11-15-01; Ord. No. 02-13, § 2, 8-1-02; Ord. No. 08-15, § 2, 6-12-08, eff. 10-1-08; Ord. No. 16-21, (Exh. A)(Item I-03)(16-1071), 10-11-16, eff. 10-18-16)