LANDSCAPING AND SCREENING

Kansas City Zoning and Development Code pt. 400 Series, div. 88-425

in effect

Kansas City Zoning and Development Code § 88-425-01 SCOPE AND PURPOSE

88-425-01 - SCOPE AND PURPOSE The regulations of this article establish minimum requirements for street tree planting, parking lot/vehicular use area landscaping (perimeters and interior areas), and screening and buffering of outdoor display, storage, and work areas and loading areas. The regulations are intended to advance the general purposes of 88-10-05 including the following: 88-425-01-A. enhance the city's image and appearance; 88-425-01-B. protect and improve environmental conditions by providing shade, air purification, oxygen regeneration, filtering of stormwater runoff, and abatement of noise, glare and heat; and 88-425-01-C. help mitigate possible adverse impacts of higher intensity land uses located adjacent to lower intensity land uses. (Ord. No. 150378, § A, 5-21-2015)

Kansas City Zoning and Development Code § 88-425-02 RELATIONSHIP TO STORMWATER MANAGEMENT

88-425-02 - RELATIONSHIP TO STORMWATER MANAGEMENT Required landscape areas may be used for stormwater management in accordance with the city's Standards, Specifications, and Design Criteria and the city's adopted Manual of Best Management Practices for Stormwater Quality.

Kansas City Zoning and Development Code § 88-425-03 STREET TREES

88-425-03 - STREET TREES 88-425-03-A. APPLICABILITY The street tree planting requirements of this section apply to all of the following, unless expressly exempted: 1. construction of any principal building; and 2. any addition to or enlargement of an existing principal building when the addition or enlargement exceeds 10 percent of gross floor area. 88-425-03-B. EXEMPTIONS 1. Street trees are not required to be installed or maintained in the following locations: a. above an area containing soil of a depth of less than 6 feet, not including sidewalk pavement; and b. any areas determined by the director of parks and recreation to be unsuitable or unsafe for street trees. 2. When street trees are not required pursuant to 88-425-03-B.1, the director of parks and recreation may require alternative landscape treatments, in accordance with 88-425-13. 88-425-03-C. TREE PLANTING REQUIREMENTS 1. NUMBER At least one street tree is required for each 30 feet of street frontage. 2. LOCATION Required street trees must be installed within the street right-of-way or within 10 feet of the street right-of-way. If street trees are to be located outside of the right-of-way, the city is authorized to require the establishment of a 15-foot landscape maintenance easement. 3. SPACING Street trees need not be regularly spaced. The director of parks and recreation is authorized to determine the final location of street trees, based on site factors such as the location of utilities and driveways, intersection visibility requirements and other factors. 4. SIZE Street trees installed to satisfy the requirements of this section must comply with the minimum size requirements of 88-425-10-B.2 except that on lots abutting parkways and boulevards, street trees must have a minimum caliper of 2.0 inches. (Ord. No. 120783, § 1, 10-4-2012; Ord. No. 130441, § 1, 7-11-2013)

Kansas City Zoning and Development Code § 88-425-04 GENERAL LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS

88-425-04 - GENERAL LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS 88-425-04-A. SETBACKS AND OPEN SPACE The setback and open space areas required by this zoning and development code must be landscaped, except where they are: 1. occupied by approved structures or paving; 2. screened from public view; or 3. retained in their natural (vegetated) state. 88-425-04-B. PRIVATE OPEN SPACE TRACTS Private open space tracts platted in accordance with 88-405-05 and 88-408 must be landscaped. A landscape plan must be submitted for site plan approval per 88-425-12. Landscaping of the tract shall be done by the developer and occur within one year of platting of the tract or prior to issuance of any building permits for structures on lots within the subdivision, whichever occurs first. 88-425-04-C. UNUSED AREAS Any area of a site not intended for a specific use, including a commercial pad site intended for future development, must be landscaped unless retained in its natural state. 88-425-04-D. TREES Trees must be planted within general landscaping areas on sites used or zoned for public, civic, office, business, or commercial use. At least one tree must be provided per 5,000 square feet of principal building coverage (building footprint). The city planning and development director is authorized to reduce general tree planting requirements of this section when it is determined that the area available for planting will not accommodate the number of trees otherwise required by this subsection. 88-425-04-E. GARDEN AREAS Garden areas may be determined to be landscaped area for the purposes of determining compliance with general landscaping requirements in residential and mixed-use developments. (Ord. No. 120697, § 1, 8-23-2012; Ord. No. 160341, § 1, 5-12-2016)

Kansas City Zoning and Development Code § 88-425-05 PERIMETER LANDSCAPING OF VEHICULAR USE AREAS

88-425-05 - PERIMETER LANDSCAPING OF VEHICULAR USE AREAS 88-425-05-A. APPLICABILITY Unless otherwise expressly stated, the perimeter landscaping standards of this section apply to all of the following in all zoning districts: 1. the construction or installation of new vehicular use areas; 2. the repair, rehabilitation or expansion of existing vehicular use areas, if such repair, rehabilitation or expansion would increase the area of the vehicular use area by more than 20%; 3. existing vehicular use areas that are accessory to an existing principal building if the building or any portion of the building is expanded or enlarged and the expansion increases the existing floor area by more than 50% or 5,000 square feet, whichever is less; and 4. the excavation and reconstruction of existing vehicular use areas if such excavation and reconstruction involves the removal of 50% or more of the asphalt, concrete or other pavement devoted to vehicular use. 88-425-05-B. ADJACENT TO STREETS When a vehicular use area is located adjacent to a public right-of-way, perimeter landscaping must be provided to provide physical and visual separation between the vehicular use area and the right-of-way. This requirement applies only when there are no intervening buildings between the right-of-way and the vehicular use area. Trees planted to satisfy the street tree planting requirements of 88-425-03 may be counted toward satisfying the tree planting requirements of 88-425-05-B. 1. Perimeter landscaping adjacent to street rights-of-way must be provided in the form of a perimeter landscape buffer strip located between the vehicular use area and the street right-of-way. 2. Except as provided below for vehicular use areas within the downtown loop, the landscape buffer strip must be at least 10 feet in width and be planted with at least one tree per 30 linear feet of landscape strip and enough evergreen shrubs to form a continuous visual screen at least 3 feet in height after the first growing season. [image omitted; see the official code] 3. Ground cover plants must cover the remainder of the required landscape strip. 4. A masonry wall, planter, or berm may be substituted for shrubs, but trees and ground cover are still required. 5. Shrubs and walls must be located on the interior of the perimeter landscape buffer strips; trees must be on the outside (street side) of the shrubs or wall. 6. On sites containing more than 250 surface (outdoor, at-grade) parking spaces, when a vehicular use area is adjacent to a public right-of-way, required perimeter landscaping must be provided in the form of: (a) a berm with a minimum height of 3 feet and a maximum slope of 3:1, planted with at least 3 trees and 25 shrubs per 100 feet of berm length; or (b) a landscape buffer strip with a minimum width of 25 feet, planted with at least 6 trees and 35 shrubs per 100 feet of buffer length. 7. Within the downtown loop, the landscape buffer strip: (a) may be reduced to 3 feet in width, with construction of a minimum three-foot high decorative metal or wrought iron fence or brick, stone, cast stone, or stamped concrete wall. The strip must be planted with enough evergreen shrubs to form a continuous visual screen at least 3 feet in height after the first growing season; and (b) shall not be required when adjacent to any public alley. 88-425-05-C. ADJACENT TO RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS When a vehicular use area is adjacent to a residential zoning district, except when the vehicular use area serves a use permitted within that residential zoning district, perimeter landscaping must be provided to provide physical and visual separation between the vehicular use area and the residential zoning district. 1. Perimeter landscaping adjacent to residential zoning districts must be provided in the form of a perimeter landscape strip or berm located between the vehicular use area and the residential zoning district. 2. The landscape buffer strip must be at least 10 feet in width and be planted with enough evergreen shrubs to form a continuous visual screen at least 4 feet in height after the first growing season. [image omitted; see the official code] 3. Ground cover plants must cover the remainder of the required landscape strip. 4. A masonry wall or opaque wood fence with a minimum height of 5 feet may be substituted for shrubs, but ground cover is still required within the landscape buffer strip. 5. On sites containing more than 250 surface (outdoor, at-grade) parking spaces, the perimeter landscape buffer requirements of 88-425-05-B.6 apply. 88-425-05-D. ADJACENT TO PARKWAYS When a vehicular use area is adjacent to a parkway, perimeter landscaping must be provided for physical and visual separation between the vehicular use area and the parkway right-of-way in the form of trees (deciduous and evergreen) and shrubbery to form a continuous visual screen at least 4 feet in height after the first growing season, consisting of either: 1. a berm with a minimum height of 4 feet and a maximum slope of 3:1, planted with at least 3 trees and 25 shrubs per 100 feet of berm length; or 2. a landscape buffer strip with a minimum width of 30 feet, planted with at least 6 trees and 35 shrubs per 100 feet of buffer length. (Ord. No. 120783, § 1, 10-4-2012; Ord. No. 130441, § 1, 7-11-2013; Ord. No. 150378, § A, 5-21-2015; Ord. No. 150544, § 1, 7-23-2015)

Kansas City Zoning and Development Code § 88-425-06 INTERIOR LANDSCAPING OF PARKING LOTS

88-425-06 - INTERIOR LANDSCAPING OF PARKING LOTS 88-425-06-A. APPLICABILITY Unless otherwise expressly stated, the interior landscaping standards of this section apply to all of the following in all zoning districts: 1. the construction or installation of any new parking lot containing 25 or more parking spaces in the Crossroads area or 10 or more parking spaces outside the Crossroads area; 2. the expansion of existing parking lots, if the expansion would create 25 or more parking spaces in the Crossroads area or 10 or more new parking spaces outside the Crossroads area, in which case the requirements of this section apply only to the expanded area; and 3. the excavation and reconstruction of existing parking lots containing 25 or more parking spaces in the Crossroads area or 10 or more parking spaces outside the Crossroads area if such excavation and reconstruction involves the removal of 50% or more of the asphalt, concrete or other parking lot surface material. 88-425-06-B. MINIMUM INTERIOR LANDSCAPE AREA 1. At least 35 square feet of interior landscape area must be provided for each parking space. If compliance with this standard would result in the loss of existing required parking spaces, the amount of parking required is automatically reduced by the amount needed to accommodate the required interior landscaping. 2. When at least 50% of interior parking lot landscape area consists of depressed bioretention areas used for storm water management the minimum landscaped area requirement is reduced from 35 square feet per parking space to 28 square feet per parking space. In order to receive this bioretention credit, the ponding area must be at least 6 inches and not more than 18 inches in depth and planted with native wildflowers/forbs and grasses. 88-425-06-C. RELATIONSHIP TO PERIMETER LANDSCAPING STANDARDS Landscape area provided to satisfy the perimeter landscape standards of 88-425-05 may not be counted toward satisfying the interior landscaping standards of this section. 88-425-06-D. LOCATION Required interior landscaping must be designed to enhance the appearance and safety of the parking lot area. Landscaping must be reasonably dispersed throughout parking area. Reduced dispersal is allowed if landscape planting areas are combined to form larger, functional bioretention areas. 88-425-06-E. PLANT MATERIALS 1. TREES One tree is required per 5 parking spaces. 2. SHRUBS One shrub is required per parking space. 3. GROUND COVER Ground cover plants must cover all interior landscape areas. (Ord. No. 120697, § 1, 8-23-2012)

Kansas City Zoning and Development Code § 88-425-07 SCREENING OF PARKING GARAGES

88-425-07 - SCREENING OF PARKING GARAGES Parking floors within multi-story parking garages must be screened or concealed by one or more of the following methods: 88-425-07-A. GROUND-FLOOR RETAIL/OFFICE When a parking garage is proposed for a street where the predominant use is retail or office, the garage's ground-level street frontage (except for driveways and pedestrian entrances) must be improved with retail, office of other active use types, as permitted by the subject zoning district. Ground-floor space improved with retail, office or other active uses must include display windows, lighting, architectural treatments, or landscaping that enhances the pedestrian environment. 88-425-07-B. GROUND-FLOOR RESIDENTIAL Where permitted, ground-floor residential use may be used to conceal a parking garage. 88-425-07-C. LANDSCAPING 1. Landscaping may be required for all parking garages (except fully enclosed garages) at ground-level or on each street façade above ground-level in the form of perimeter planters within openings, upper-level landscaped setbacks and/or the incorporation of hanging baskets, flower boxes or planting trellises. 2. A parking garage that does not incorporate ground-floor nonresidential or residential use or is not otherwise screened or concealed at street frontages on the ground level, must provide a densely planted landscape perimeter that is a minimum of 10 feet in depth for any garage of less than 5 levels and 20 feet in depth for any garage with 5 levels or more. 88-425-07-D. UPPER-LEVEL SCREENING In lieu of landscaping, on upper levels of a parking garage, the parking may be screened by business or residential uses, glazing, metal grillwork, louvers, and other architectural treatments. (Ord. No. 130441, § 1, 7-11-2013)

Kansas City Zoning and Development Code § 88-425-08 SCREENING OF CONTAINERS AND MECHANICAL/UTILITY EQUIPMENT

88-425-08 - SCREENING OF CONTAINERS AND MECHANICAL/UTILITY EQUIPMENT 88-425-08-A. DUMPSTERS Trash containers, dumpsters, trash compactors, and recycling bins associated with multiplex, multi-unit residential, and nonresidential uses must be screened from public view on all sides with a solid fence, wall, or gate constructed of cedar, redwood, masonry or other similar building material reflecting the overall design of the site, and be appropriately landscaped. 88-425-08-B. MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT AND UTILITY CABINETS 1. Above-ground utility cabinets that serve multiple properties (including maintenance and access areas) must be located in the public right-of-way or within utility easements. When located in easements, such cabinets must be located as far as practicable from the street right-of-way and in locations that are least visible from rights-of-way. All locations must comply with intersection sight distance requirements and comply with required separation distances (between cabinets and other structures). 2. Above-ground utility cabinets that are 30 or more inches in height or width and visible from the right-of-way must be screened from public view with landscaping or with an architectural treatment compatible with the building design and character of the surrounding area. No certificate of occupancy will be issued until required screening is in place. 3. If above-ground utility cabinets are installed in an existing neighborhood (i.e., where principal buildings already exist on the subject lot), the utility provider is responsible for installation of required screening. Requirements for screening apply to new cabinets, as well as replacement of existing cabinets. The city planning and development director is authorized to approve alternative screening requirements or to waive screening requirements when soil conditions or other site constraints prevent strict compliance with otherwise applicable screening standards. 4. Above-ground utility cabinets that are 30 or more inches in height or width and visible from the right-of-way must be oriented so that cabinet doors face away from the street right-of-way to the maximum practical extent. This requirement is intended to promote screening on the sides of the cabinet most likely to be visible from the right-of-way. 5. Other ground-mounted or building-mounted mechanical equipment accessory to nonresidential buildings and nonresidential development must be screened from public view with landscaping or with an architectural treatment compatible with the building design and character of the surrounding area. 6. Underground placement of mechanical equipment and utility cabinets must be considered whenever technologically and economically feasible. 88-425-08-C. All buildings or building additions in office, commercial or industrial districts must provide a solid screen fence or wall not less than 6 feet in height along all rear and side property lines that abut R zoning districts, except that such screening may not extend in front of the building line or in front of abutting dwellings. Such screening is not required when similar screening exists on the abutting residential property. 88-425-08-D. ROOF-MOUNTED MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT Roof-mounted mechanical equipment (e.g., air conditioning, heating, cooling, ventilation, exhaust and similar equipment, but not solar panels, wind energy or similar renewable energy devices) over 30 inches in height and visible from the public right-of-way must be screened from view in one of the following ways: 1. A parapet along façades facing the public right-of-way that is as tall as the tallest part of the equipment; [image omitted; see the official code] 2. A solid screen around the equipment that is as tall as the tallest part of the equipment, with the screen an integral part of the building's architectural design; or [image omitted; see the official code] 3. An equipment setback from roof edges visible from the public right-of-way that is at least 3 feet in depth for each one foot of equipment height. [image omitted; see the official code] (Ord. No. 120783, § 1, 10-4-2012)

Kansas City Zoning and Development Code § 88-425-09 SCREENING AND BUFFERING OF OUTDOOR USES

88-425-09 - SCREENING AND BUFFERING OF OUTDOOR USES 88-425-09-A. OUTDOOR RETAIL 1. SCREENING FROM R AND DR DISTRICTS All areas situated on a lot with side property lines or rear property lines contiguous with property in an R or DR district must be effectively screened along such side property lines or rear property lines by a wall or fence with a minimum height of 6 feet and a maximum height of 8 feet. Fences and walls must be: a. Solid masonry and/or wood; or b. Wrought iron or other similar decorative metal fencing or vinyl coated chain-link planted with a continuous row of evergreen shrubs and or trees to form a continuous visual screen at least 3 ft. in height after the first growing season. 88-425-09-B. OUTDOOR WORK AREAS, WAREHOUSING, WHOLESALING, STORAGE AND FREIGHT MOVEMENT, AND TOWING AND VEHICLE STORAGE 1. REQUIRED FENCING Outdoor uses shall be secured by a fence with a minimum height of 6 feet and a maximum height of 8 feet. 2. SCREENING FROM OTHER ZONING DISTRICTS All areas situated on a lot with side property lines or rear property lines contiguous with property in an R or DR district must be effectively screened along such side property lines or rear property lines by a wall or fence. Fences and walls must be: a. Solid masonry and/or wood; or b. Wrought iron or other similar decorative metal fencing or vinyl coated chain-link planted with a continuous row of evergreen shrubs and or trees to form a continuous visual screen at least 3 ft. in height after the first growing season, 3. SCREENING FROM PUBLIC STREETS All outdoor use areas must be screened from view of public streets (other than alleys), as follows: a. By either permitted structures and/or by a continuous row of evergreen shrubs and/ or trees to form a continuous visual screen at least 3 ft. in height after the first growing season. b. Such screening must be located between the perimeter of the outdoor use area and any property line abutting a public street. c. In B and D districts, any fencing adjacent to a public street shall be wrought iron or other similar decorative metal fencing. In M districts fencing adjacent to public streets shall be either vinyl coated chain-link or wrought iron or other similar decorative metal fencing. 88-425-09-C. SCREENING AND BUFFERING OF JUNK/SALVAGE YARDS 1. All junk and salvage materials must be stored within completely enclosed buildings or surrounded by a solid fence or wall with a minimum height of 8 feet. 2. A row of evergreen trees shall be planted on the outside of said fence or wall. Trees shall be planted 20 feet apart on center. (Ord. No. 120783, § 1, 10-4-2012; Ord. No. 170061, § A, 3-23-2017)

Kansas City Zoning and Development Code § 88-425-10 LANDSCAPING AND SCREENING MATERIAL

88-425-10 - LANDSCAPING AND SCREENING MATERIAL 88-425-10-A. GENERAL 1. APPLICABILITY The standards of this section apply to all landscaping, plant materials, and fences or walls used to satisfy the landscaping and screening requirements of this zoning and development code. 2. PLANT SELECTION Plants used to satisfy the requirements of this zoning and development code must meet or exceed the plant quality standards of American Association of Nurserymen and the Kansas City Nursery and Landscape Association. Plants used to satisfy the requirements of this article must be native or naturalized species. 3. ARTIFICIAL PLANTS No artificial plants or vegetation may be used to satisfy the landscaping and screening requirements of this zoning and development code. 88-425-10-B. TREES 1. TYPES Unless otherwise expressly stated, required trees may be broadleaf (deciduous) or conifers (evergreen). 2. SIZE Trees provided to satisfy the requirements of this zoning and development code must comply with the following minimum size requirements: a. broadleaf trees must have a minimum caliper of 2.0 inches; and b. evergreen trees must have a minimum planted height of 5 feet. 3. SPECIES If more than 8 trees are required, no more than 40% may be of a single species. If more than 25 trees are required, no more than 25% may be of a single species. This requirement applies to trees being planted, not to existing trees. 88-425-10-C. SHRUBS 1. All shrubs must have a minimum planted height of 2 feet and a minimum height of 3 feet after the second full growing season. 2. Broadleaf shrubs must have a minimum container size of 2 gallons. 3. Evergreens must have a minimum container size of 5 gallons. 4. Shrubs may also be balled and burlapped. 5. If more than 25 shrubs are required, no more than 75% may be of a single species. 88-425-10-D. GROUND COVER 1. All required landscape areas that are not planted with trees or shrubs must be covered with ground cover plants, which may include grasses. Mulch must be confined to areas underneath trees and shrubs and is not an allowed substitute for ground cover. 2. Ground cover plants other than grasses must be within minimum 4-inch pot or plug. Area planted in ground cover plants other than grasses must be planted at distances appropriate for the species and at a density that will achieve complete coverage after the second full growing season. 88-425-10-E. FENCES AND WALLS Unless otherwise specified within this section for properties within the downtown loop: 1. WALLS Walls or planters must be constructed of brick, stone or other durable masonry material approved by the city planning and development director. 2. FENCES Fences must be durable and constructed of wood, decorative rigid vinyl (polyvinyl chloride), metal or wrought iron. Fence posts must be structurally stable. The finished side of the fence must face the adjacent property or street. Chain-link fencing may not be used to satisfy landscaping and screening requirements. 88-425-10-F. PROHIBITED PLANTS (RESERVED) 88-425-10-G. EXISTING TREES AND VEGETATION (RESERVED) (Ord. No. 120783, § 1, 10-4-2012; Ord. No. 130441, § 1, 7-11-2013; Ord. No. 150378, § A, 5-21-2015; Ord. No. 220961, § 3, 3-16-2023)

Kansas City Zoning and Development Code § 88-425-11 INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE

88-425-11 - INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE 88-425-11-A. INSTALLATION 1. GENERAL a. All landscaping must be installed according to sound nursery practices in a manner designed to encourage vigorous growth. b. All trees must be staked and include at least 2 inches of organic mulch over the planting area. c. Landscape plant material suitable for planting must be balled and burlapped or container grown. In all cases, a planting area that is at least twice the diameter of the root system or the container should be prepared. 2. IRRIGATION All required landscaped areas must provide irrigation in accordance with one of the following 3 options: a. a permanent, built-in irrigation system with an automatic controller; b. a temporary irrigation system designed and certified by a licensed landscape architect as part of the landscape plan, which provides sufficient water to ensure that the plants will become established; or c. irrigation by hand. 3. PROTECTION All required landscaped areas, particularly trees and shrubs, must be protected from potential damage by adjacent uses and development, including parking and storage areas. 4. TIMING OF INSTALLATION Prior to issuance of a final certificate of occupancy, all landscaping as shown on the approved landscape plan, including trees, plant material and structural elements, must be in place and healthy, as certified by a sealed letter submitted by a registered landscape architect licensed in the State of Missouri. 88-425-11-B. MAINTENANCE 1. The property owner or successors in interest are jointly and severally responsible for proper maintenance of landscaped areas in accordance with the approved landscape plan. 2. Landscaping must be continuously maintained including necessary watering, weeding, pruning, pest control, and replacement of dead or diseased plant material. Any replacement of dead or diseased plant material must comply with the approved landscape plan and must occur as soon as practical, no later than the next planting season. 3. Failure to comply with an approved landscaping plan constitutes a violation of this zoning and development code and is subject to penalties and enforcement under 88-615. (Ord. No. 120783, § 1, 10-4-2012; Ord. No. 150600, § A, 7-23-2015; Ord. No. 160341, § 1, 5-12-2016)

Kansas City Zoning and Development Code § 88-425-12 LANDSCAPE PLANS

88-425-12 - LANDSCAPE PLANS Landscape plans must accompany all required development and site plans, site plans for special use permit, and final development plans in Districts MPD and UR, and site plans for setback and open space tracts (88-425-04). All landscaping plans must be sealed and certified by a registered landscape architect licensed in the State of Missouri and include information as required by city planning and development department staff. (Ord. No. 120783, § 1, 10-4-2012; Ord. No. 150313, § A, 4-30-2015; Ord. No. 160341, § 1, 5-12-2016)

Kansas City Zoning and Development Code § 88-425-13 ADMINISTRATIVE ADJUSTMENTS FOR ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE

88-425-13 - ADMINISTRATIVE ADJUSTMENTS FOR ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE 88-425-13-A. The city planning and development director is authorized to approve an administrative adjustment allowing for alternative compliance with the landscaping and screening standards of this article. 88-425-13-B. Alternative compliance may be approved when the city planning and development director determines that the proposed alternative would be at least as effective as strict compliance in meeting the overall intent of the standards. 88-425-13-C. Alternative compliance may also be approved when the city planning and development director determines that: 1. strict application of the provisions would deprive the applicant of the reasonable use of the land or would otherwise impose an unreasonable hardship upon the applicant; 2. conditions and circumstances upon which the waiver or modification is sought are not caused by the applicant; and 3. that alternative landscape treatments will be provided to off-set the waiver or reduction in otherwise applicable standards. 88-425-13-D. The city planning and development director is expressly authorized to approve such alternative landscape treatments as: 1. landscaped earth berms; 2. raised planters; 3. hanging baskets; 4. flower boxes; 5. planting trellises; 6. roof-top gardens; 7. perimeter plantings on roof-tops, decks or balconies; 8. pedestrian lighting; 9. flag or banner poles; 10. benches and seating areas; 11. vine-covered fences, walls or trellises; 12. brick walls; 13. public art installations; and 14. additional landscaping and tree planting elsewhere on the site that will be visible from public right-of-way. 15. Payment into the Capital Improvement Sales Tax Fund-Tree Planting. (Ord. No. 220961, § 4, 3-16-2023)

Source: City of Kansas City, Missouri, Code of Ordinances, Charter and Zoning and Development Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/mo/kansas_city/codes/zoning_and_development_code?nodeId=ZODECOKAMI_400_SERIESDEST_88-425LASCFetched: 10/28/2026