Minnesota Administrative Rules

2400.2630 LANDSCAPE AND SCREENING STANDARDS.

Subpart 1.

Visual screens required.

The uses described in item A must be screened when abutting or adjacent to a residential district. Screening shall consist of an obscuring wall or obscuring fence, or other visual screen having a minimum height as required in item A. Whenever visual screens are required, the following standards apply.

A.

Height regulations:

(1)

commercial or office uses, 4-1/2 feet;

(2)

hospital ambulance, delivery, and service areas, six feet;

(3)

utility buildings, stations, or substations, six feet; and

(4)

outdoor storage or service areas for nonresidential or multifamily uses, six feet.

B.

Visual screens must be located completely within the lot line.

C.

Visual screen locations must conform with front yard setback lines in residential districts.

D.

Upon approval of the board, a required visual screen may be located on the opposite side of an alley right-of-way from the nonresidential zone, when mutually agreeable to affected property owners. Maintenance is the responsibility of the person required to erect the screen.

E.

The land between the screen and the property line must be landscaped and maintained so that all plant materials are healthy and the area is free from refuse and debris.

F.

Required visual screens must have no opening for pedestrians or vehicles except as shown on an approved site plan.

Subp. 2.

Landscaping of off-street parking lots.

All off-street parking lots of more than four parking spaces must be landscaped as follows:

A.

A landscaped area at least eight feet in width must be provided between parking lots and the abutting street. Screening within this area must include a masonry wall, decorated fence, berm, or hedge that forms a screen between three and 3-1/2 feet in height, plus one deciduous shade tree planted every 40 feet on center.

B.

A landscaped area at least six feet in width must be provided along side and rear lot lines between parking lots and abutting residential uses. Screening within this area must include a fence or wall at least 90 percent opaque, between 4-1/2 and six feet in height, plus at least one tree and five shrubs for every 50 lineal feet of property line.

C.

Off-street parking lots larger than 50 spaces must include 300 square feet of landscaped islands for every 50 spaces over 50. Each landscaped island must be a minimum of ten feet in width and 300 square feet in area.

Subp. 3.

Landscaping of open areas.

The remainder of any landscaped area not occupied by trees or shrubs must be covered with turf grass, native grasses, or other perennial flowering plants, vines, shrubs, or trees.

Subp. 4.

Plant materials; standards and maintenance.

Plant materials used in visual screens, parking lot landscaping, or other applications must meet the following standards:

A.

The genus and species of all plant materials must be identified on all plans submitted for permit approval.

B.

The species, size, location, and spacing of plant materials must be appropriate for the purpose intended, and must be planted within 180 days from the date of issuance of a certificate of occupancy.

C.

At the time of planting, minimum plant sizes are as follows: shade trees must be 1-1/2 inch caliper, ornamental trees must be six to eight feet overall height, conifers must be four to six feet overall height, and shrubs used for screening must be 15 to 18 inches overall height.

D.

Wherever plant materials are used to satisfy a visual screen requirement, planting must be sufficiently dense to provide an unbroken visual barrier within a maximum of two growing seasons after the time of planting.

E.

The owners are responsible for maintaining all landscaping in a healthy and growing condition and keeping it free from refuse and debris. Dead plant materials must be removed within a reasonable time and replaced during the normal planting seasons. Plant materials shall be warrantied for a minimum of two years.

Statutory Authority:

MS s 15B.06

History:

34 SR 900

Published Electronically:

January 15, 2010