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1 <br /> Staff Report to City Council <br /> Landscaping and Parking Area Code Amendments <br /> The primary purposes of the proposed amendments are to <br /> • make the code more user friendly <br /> • address recommendations of consultants funded by the Puget Sound Partnership who <br /> reviewed the city's codes for impediments to low impact development', as well as new <br /> information from examples of low impact development <br /> • create city-wide standards incorporating standards from the Core Residential, Broadway, <br /> and Evergreen Way zones <br /> • revisit internal parking lot landscaping standards and require landscaping amounts similar <br /> to the previous code based on reviews by staff <br /> • establish minimum tree sizes and require that where smaller trees are installed, more trees . <br /> are provided <br /> • ensure that landscape plans address conflicts between landscaping and other site features <br /> and activities, such as overhead lighting, utilities,driveways,transit improvements, and <br /> bumper overhangs in parking lots <br /> • establish landscaping/screening requirements for parking in structures <br /> • add design standards to address safety and crime prevention <br /> • require that qualified consultants prepare landscape plans, except for residential projects <br /> with two or fewer units and projects that require installation of five or fewer trees or <br /> 1,000 sf of landscaping (qualified consultants include: licensed landscape architects, <br /> architects, and engineers, and certified professional horticulturists,nurserypersons, or <br /> landscape designers) <br /> • require that qualified consultants prepare irrigation plans and address irrigation standards, <br /> except for residential projects with two or fewer units <br /> • provide better standards for information needed on landscape and irrigation plans <br /> • add standards for pruning <br /> Staff incorporated comments from Planning Commission's workshop on May 15,2012, the <br /> city's Tree Committee, Land Use staff, and other city departments, including Public <br /> Works/Utilities/Engineering,Police,Transit and Parks. The draft was also circulated to the <br /> Master Builders,neighborhood groups,utility providers (PSE and Snohomish County PUD),and <br /> others. No comments were received from those groups/agencies. The SEPA notice went to <br /> approximately 80 organizations and individuals who have interest in Everett's development <br /> standards. The only comments received during the SEPA process were from city staff. <br /> 'Low impact development means a stormwater management strategy that emphasizes conservation and the use of <br /> existing natural site features integrated with distributed,small-scale stormwater controls to more closely mimic <br /> natural hydrologic patterns in developed settings. Examples include permeable surfacing such as paving blocks,turf <br /> block,pervious concrete,and porous asphalt. Examples associated with landscaping include soil amendments, <br /> raingardens,infiltration swales,and bioretention areas. <br /> 2 <br />