Landscaping requirements.

Montgomery City Code, App. C, art. VI, § 8.6

in effect

Sec. 8.6. - Landscaping requirements. 8.6.1. Perimeter planting requirements for parking areas (public R.O.W. excluded). (a) A continuous perimeter planting strip, exclusive of access driveways, with an average width of eight feet adjacent to public right-of-way and four feet adjacent to property lines, measured from the edge of the parking area, is required. Existing street trees may be applied towards perimeter planting requirements along public right-of-way. (b) Canopy trees are required, and trees shall be planted on 40- to 50-foot centers. In the event that pre-existing overhead utility lines prevent the use of canopy trees, understory trees shall be planted on 30- to 40-foot centers. Minimum lateral separation from overhead utilities shall be 20 feet for canopy trees. At least two separate species must be used. Monocultures are prohibited. Shrubbery capable of forming a minimum three-foot high evergreen hedge shall be provided in the landscape areas adjacent to public right-of-way. (c) Planting strips are to be sodded, seeded, or mulched so as to leave no bare ground after landscape materials have been installed. (d) Existing trees which meet, in whole or in part, the perimeter and internal planting requirements, may be applied toward requirements. During construction, trees or groups of trees that are being preserved must have a barrier constructed to the drip-line of the tree or group of trees, given the specific site considerations. (e) Trees which meet the perimeter planting requirements, whether existing or new, may be counted as one parking space per tree and be used to fulfill the total parking requirement up to 25 percent of the parking required. Use of trees to fulfill the parking requirements must be noted on the development plan. This subparagraph shall supersede and take precedence over article III, section 3(c) of the city's zoning ordinance. (f) Landscaping in and adjacent to parking lots shall not obstruct the driver's view of the right-of-way at driveways and intersections, including that from adjoining properties. (g) In all districts, no fence, wall, shrubbery, sign, marquee or other obstruction to vision between the heights of three and one-half feet and 15 feet above street level shall be permitted within 20 feet of the intersection of the right-of-way lines of two streets, or railroads, or of a street and a railroad right-of-way, subject to the requirements of the traffic engineer. (h) In the event that non-residential development borders residential areas, a ten-foot wide landscape buffer shall be required along the common property boundary. Canopy trees are required in the landscape buffer, and shall be planted on 20-foot centers in order to form a screen at maturity. All other aspects of the landscape buffer shall conform to the requirements of this section. Residential boundaries MUST be noted on the development plan. Previously platted lots at the adoption of this section may be exempt from 8.6.1(h) if this requirement adversely affects minimum parking requirements. (i) An irrigation system shall be required in all landscape areas where 25 or more parking spaces are constructed. 8.6.2. Internal planting requirements for parking areas. (a) Based on parking area size and layout, trees shall be planted within the paved parking area so that each parking space is within 60 feet or less of a tree. Perimeter trees and street trees as outlined above may be used to satisfy this requirement. (b) There shall be no more than 12 contiguous parking spaces without a landscape island. Trees and shrubbery are required in the landscape island. A landscape island used to satisfy this requirement shall contain a minimum of 250 square feet of area per tree with a minimum width of eight feet. Tree size and spacing are the same as for the perimeter planting requirements. Shrubbery shall be provided in the island at the minimum rate of two plants per tree. (c) Landscape islands, based on the above requirements, shall be sodded, seeded or mulched. (d) Interior landscape islands may be counted as two parking spaces per island and be used to fulfill the total parking requirement of the development. Use of landscape islands to fulfill parking requirements must be noted on the development plan. This subparagraph shall supersede and take precedence over article III, section 3(c) of the city's zoning ordinance. (e) An irrigation system shall be required in all landscape areas where 25 or more parking spaces are constructed. (f) Bio-retention as part of the landscape is encouraged and may be used to meet these requirements. (g) Internal landscape islands are not required in display areas for the purpose of automobile. (Ord. No. 63-2005, § I, 9-20-2005; Ord. No. 33-2017, § 1, 4-4-2017)

Source: City of Montgomery, Alabama, Code of Ordinances (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/al/montgomery/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=APXCZO_ARTVIGEPR_S8.6LAREFetched: 11/8/2026