Discussion and Review of Tiffin Municipal Code Revisions – Preparation for Setting the Public Hearing — Tiffin City Code - DRAFT

CHAPTER 169 SCREENING AND BUFFERING STANDARDS 3. The property owner shall keep all plantings properly maintained, pruned as needed, and free from trash and litter. It is the responsibility of the property owner to maintain and replace trees and plantings required by the Zoning Code. Required landscaping shall be continuously maintained in a healthy manner. Plants that die shall be replaced. Improper maintenance, pruning, or removal of plantings may be subject to municipal infraction proceedings, up to and including environmental infraction proceedings. 4. Any trees that overhang the public right-of-way must be maintained in accordance with the provisions of Section 168.08. 5. To prevent interference with pedestrian traffic, plantings shall be located appropriately and maintained so that foliage does not grow any closer than one foot to the edge of a sidewalk or pedestrian trail. This one foot setback shall be maintained for at least the first nine feet of plant height. 6. Maintenance of trees within street rights-of-way is the responsibility of the City. 169.06 SCREENING STANDARDS (S-SERIES). The screening and buffering standards listed below will be applied throughout the Zoning Code. The plant varieties listed in Section 169.08, are to be used to satisfy the requirements of these various standards. Deviations from the listed plants are allowed if the replacement shrubs are similar in form or hardiness to a permitted variety and are approved by the City. 1. General Buffering, S1: A. Intent. The S1 Standard is a basic transitional buffering standard, where planting areas separate uses from the public right-of-way, define edges and separate vehicular use areas from pedestrians, yet allow views to easily penetrate, as for outdoor sales display lots and for general landscaping on commercial properties. B. Requirements. A grass lawn shall be maintained within the landscaped area, with groupings of low growing shrubs and ground plants. Approximately half the landscaping plants shall be of an evergreen variety to provide texture and color throughout the year. Plantings should be arranged to achieve the desired buffering effect, but there is no established minimum or maximum height. C. Figure 17-1 - General Buffering, S1: CODE OF ORDINANCES, TIFFIN, IOWA - 1819 -