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A. General.

1. Applicability. The provisions of LUC 20.20.520.A, D, E, G, I, J, K, and L apply to development in the BR Land Use Districts in addition to the provisions contained in this section.

2. Review Required. The Director shall review the proposed landscape development, outdoor storage, retail display, and fencing and may approve a proposed structure, alteration, site development, use, or occupancy only if the requirements of this section are met, subject to the provisions of LUC 20.25D.060 for existing conditions.

B. Street Frontage Landscape Development Requirements.

1. Purpose/Intent. Landscape development, including retention of significant trees, as required by this section is necessary to maintain and protect property values, to enhance the visual appearance of the BelRed Subarea, to preserve the natural wooded character of the Pacific Northwest, to promote utilization of natural systems, to reduce the impacts of development on the storm drainage system and water resources, to provide a better transition between the various land use districts in the BelRed Subarea and to enhance the pedestrian environment.

2. Where Required. The following street frontage landscape development requirements apply except where the development is regulated by LUC 20.25D.130.B or C. See Figure 20.25D.110, Required Landscape Treatments, for the streets mentioned below.

Required Landscape Treatments

3. Applicable Standards.

a. Transit Boulevard Landscaping. NE 15th/16th Street:

i. Corridor Design approval through Transportation Department.

b. 130th Avenue Shopping Street north of NE 15th/16th Street:

i. Corridor design approval through Transportation Department.

ii. Dimensions. Sidewalk: nine ft.

Planting: five ft.

c. Bellevue-Redmond Road from 124th Ave NE to 148th Ave. NE.

i. Dimensions. Sidewalk: eight ft.

Planting: 20 ft.

ii. On both sides of Bellevue-Redmond Road the required landscaping shall be provided except where a plaza or gateway meeting the requirements of the BelRed Design Guidelines, LUC 20.25D.150, abuts the sidewalk.

iii. The sidewalk may meander into the planting area only where necessary to retain significant trees. In such case, the overall dimension of sidewalk and sidewalk planting shall total 28 feet.

iv. Planting.

(1) All significant trees shall be maintained between the street and existing or proposed development pursuant to subsection A of this section and each of the following standards shall be met:

(2) A minimum of five trees (evergreen and deciduous) per 1,000 square feet of planting area shall be provided. No more than 40 percent shall be deciduous. Evergreen trees shall be a minimum height of 10 feet at planting. Deciduous trees shall have a minimum caliper of two and one-half inches.

(3) Evergreen shrubs shall be provided at a minimum spacing of three feet on center; shrubs shall be a minimum height of 42 inches at planting.

(4) Living ground cover shall be provided as necessary to cover the landscape area within a minimum of three years.

(5) At least 50 percent of the plantings shall be native species.

d. Arterial Landscaping includes 116th Avenue NE, 120th Avenue NE, 130th Avenue NE south of NE 15th/16th Street, 148th Avenue NE, 156th Avenue NE, Bellevue-Redmond Road east of 148th Avenue NE.

i. Dimensions. Sidewalk: six ft.

Planting: five ft.

ii. Street Trees.

(1) Street trees with a minimum caliper of two and one-half inches shall be provided at a maximum spacing of 30 feet on center in tree wells a minimum of five feet wide and 10 feet long.

(2) Summit Ash – Fraxinus pennsylvanica “Summit.” The Summit Ash trees will be planted symmetrically (from mid-block outwards to end of block).

(3) Greenspire Linden – Tilia cordata “Greenspire” located at the end of block.

iii. Tree Well Ground Cover Plantings. Ground cover shall be provided as necessary to cover the landscape area within a minimum of three years.

(1) Mondo Grass;

(2) Creeping Lily Turf;

(3) Lemon Daylily – Hemerocallis flava;

(4) Salal – Gaultheria shallon;

e. Local Street Landscaping.

i. Dimensions. Sidewalk: six ft.

Planting: five ft.

ii. Street Tree Planting List. Street trees shall have a minimum two-and-one-half-inch caliper. The trees shall be planted symmetrically (from mid-block outwards to end of block).

(1) Village Green Zelkova – Zelkova serrulata “Village Green.”

(2) Greenspire Linden – Tilia cordata “Greenspire.”

iii. Tree Well Ground Cover Plantings.

(1) Lemon Daylily.

(2) Kinnikinnick – Arctostaphylos uva-ursi.

f. Green Street Landscaping.

i. Dimensions. Sidewalk: six ft.

Plantings: six ft.

ii. Stormwater planters pursuant to Bellevue Utilities Department Engineering Standards Chapter D9, now or as hereafter amended.

iii. Street Trees.

(1) Street trees with a minimum caliper of two and one-half inches shall be provided at a maximum spacing of 30 feet on center.

(2) Black Tupelo – Nyssa sylvatica.

(3) American Hornbeam – Carpinus caroliniana.

(4) Eastern Redbud – Cercis canadensis.

(5) Dacquemontii Birch – Betula jacquemontii.

C. Perimeter Landscape Development for Land Use Districts.

1. Purpose/Intent. Landscape development, including retention of significant trees, as required by this section is necessary to create visual separation between different land use districts.

2. Where Required. A 20-foot landscape buffer shall be provided along the interior property line of a district abutting BR-R Land Use District and along the interior property line of the BR-ORT Land Use District abutting any non-BelRed Land Use District.

3. Applicable Standards.

a. Evergreen and deciduous trees shall be provided at a maximum spacing of 20 feet on center. No more than 30 percent shall be deciduous. Trees shall be a minimum height of 10 feet at planting.

b. Evergreen shrubs shall be provided at a minimum spacing of three feet on center. Shrubs shall be a minimum of two gallons in size at planting.

c. Living ground cover shall be provided as necessary to cover the entire remaining area within a minimum of three years.

d. No portion may be paved except for vehicular entrance drives and required trails or other pedestrian connections, and these features should be minimized to the extent feasible.

D. Interior Property Line Development.

1. Purpose/Intent. The landscape development required by this section is necessary to provide visual separation of uses so as to soften the appearance of parking areas and building elevations.

2. Where Required. A 10-foot landscape buffer shall be provided along an interior property not regulated elsewhere.

3. Applicable Standard.

a. Evergreen and deciduous trees, with no more than 50 percent being deciduous, a minimum of six feet in height, and planted at intervals no greater than 30 feet on center; and

b. If planted to buffer a building elevation, shrubs, a minimum of three and one-half feet in height, and living ground cover planted so that the ground will be covered within three years; or

c. If planted to buffer a parking area, access, or site development other than a building, any of the following alternatives may be used unless otherwise noted:

i. Shrubs, a minimum of three and one-half feet in height, and living ground cover must be planted so that the ground will be covered within three years.

ii. Earth-mounding, an average of three and one-half feet in height, planted with shrubs or living ground cover so that the ground will be covered within three years. This alternative may not be used in a Downtown Land Use District.

iii. A combination of earth-mounding and shrubs to produce a visual barrier at least three and one-half feet in height.

E. Curb Extension Planting.

1. Purpose/Intent. Landscape development as required by this section is necessary to enhance the visual appearance of the BelRed Subarea, to reduce the impacts of development on the storm drainage system and water resources to enhance the pedestrian environment in the BelRed Subarea.

2. Where Required. Refer to Transportation Department Development Standards for curb extension design standards and generalized locations.

a. Type I. Curb Extension Planting – Refer to symbol on map.

b. Type II. Curb Extension Planting – Refer to symbol on map.

3. Applicable Standard.

a. General Standards applicable to All Curb Extension Planting Types.

i. Ground cover and shrubs shall be provided as necessary to cover the landscape area width within three years.

ii. Shrubs shall be a minimum of one gallon at the time of planting to cover the landscape area within a minimum of three years.

iii. Shrubs. A combination of the following shrubs is required at any curb extension unless modified below. All specified shrubs shall be a minimum of one gallon at the time of planting.

(1) Tall Oregon Grape – Mahonia aquafolium.

(2) Creeping Oregon Grape – Mahonia repens.

(3) Salal – Gaultheria shallon.

(4) Golden Princess Spiraea – Spiraea japonica “Golden Princess.”

(5) Western Swordfern – Polystichum munitum.

(6) Lemon Daylily – Hemerocallis flava.

(7) David Viburnum – Viburnum davidii.

b. Type I Curb Extension Planting.

i. Trees.

(1) Vine Maple – Acer circinatum with two to three trees with a minimum three-quarter-inch caliper planted within each curb extension.

(2) Styrax japonicus – “Japanese snowdrop.”

(3) Cercidiphyllum japonicum – “Katsura.”

(4) Cercis canadensis alba – “Redbud.”

c. Type II Curb Extension Planting.

i. Trees.

(1) Minimum two-inch caliper.

(2) Coral Bark Maple – Acer Palmatum “Sango-kaku.”

(3) Dogwood – Cornus kousa.

(4) Lemon Daylily – Hemerocallis flava.

(5) David Viburnum – Viburnum davidii.

F. Significant Tree Retention and Pruning. Tree retention requirements of LUC 20.20.900 shall apply in addition to the requirements set forth below.

1. In the landscape areas required pursuant to subsections B and C of this section, all significant trees shall be retained that do not constitute a safety hazard as determined by the Director and consistent with the guidelines of the International Society of Arboriculture.

2. Select Tree Pruning. Pruning of existing trees within the 20-foot-wide landscape buffer on the north and south sides of Bellevue-Redmond Road shall be performed in accordance with guidelines established by the Director for each of the following pruning techniques: canopy reduction; canopy cleaning; canopy thinning; canopy raising or lifting; structural pruning; and canopy restoration. Pruning shall be performed in a manner that ensures continued survival of the vegetation.

3. Pruning or removal of significant trees within Parks and Community Services easements is prohibited except as performed by the City of Bellevue if restricted by the terms of an easement.

G. Screening of Retail Display, Parking Areas, Vehicular Access, and Outdoor Storage Associated with Manufacturing Uses. Between the sidewalk and the subject property 10 feet of Type III landscaping are required to screen a surface vehicular access, parking area, new retail display, or new outdoor storage associated with an existing or permitted manufacturing use. An alternative design may be approved through LUC 20.20.520.J, Alternative Landscaping Option.

H. Fences.

1. No fence shall be permitted to violate the sight obstruction restrictions at street intersections. (See BCC 14.60.240, now or as hereafter amended.)

2. Any fence which exceeds eight feet in height requires a building permit and shall conform to the International Building Code, as adopted by the City of Bellevue now or as subsequently amended or superseded.

3. Height shall be measured from finished grade at the exterior side of the fence. No person shall construct a berm upon which to build a fence unless the total height of the berm plus the fence does not exceed the maximum height allowable for the fence if the berm was not present.

4. Prohibited Fences. The following types of fences are prohibited:

a. Barbed wire.

b. Electric fences.

c. Chain link fences are not permitted on any street frontage in any land use district except as follows:

i. To secure a construction site or area during the period of construction, site alteration, or other modification;

ii. In connection with any approved temporary or special event use; or

iii. As a component of an existing development pursuant to LUC 20.25D.060. (Ord. 6425, 10-1-18, § 18; Ord. 5874, 5-18-09, § 1)