§ 5.4.3. Streetscape elements and dimensions.

All development shall comply with the streetscape element requirements described below and in Table 5.1. Topping of canopy trees within this section is prohibited.

A.

Streetscape dimensions and placement.

1.

New streets.

a.

Applicability. New streets shall be constructed with continuous streetscape zones on both sides of the street, beginning from back of curb.

b.

Streetscape zone elements for new streets. The streetscape zone on new streets shall consist of a landscape strip, a sidewalk, and, when required per Table 5.1, a supplemental zone.

c.

Sidewalks. Sidewalks shall be provided between the landscape strip and the supplemental zone, as required in Table 5.1 and the figures following the table.

d.

Landscape strips.

i.

Landscape strips shall be located between the curb and the sidewalk.

ii.

Landscape strips shall be designed with street trees and pedestrian scale streetlights as required in Table 5.1 and the figures following the table.

iii.

See subsection C. for planting and materials requirements.

iv.

Large scale retail has additional landscape standards adjacent to streets as provided in section 5.7.8.

e.

Supplemental zone . New streetscape zones in non-residential areas shall provide a supplemental zone outside the right-of-way on a private easement. Private easement agreements shall be submitted to the director of planning. See subsection D.

(2)   

Improvements on existing streets.

a.

Applicability. New development and redevelopment occurring on existing streets shall provide a streetscape zone on the side of the street where the development takes its access.

b.

Streetscape zone elements for existing streets.

i.

The streetscape zone for existing streets shall consist of a minimum of eleven (11) feet along the existing shoulder, as indicated in Table 5.1.

ii.

The streetscape zone for existing streets shall consist of a landscape strip and a sidewalk, as shown in Table 5.1 and the figures following the table.

c.

Sidewalk and landscape strip dimensions. The width and location of sidewalks and landscape strips shall be determined by the director of public works based on GDOT standards, if applicable, and compatibility with existing sidewalks and utilities.

d.

Landscape strips.

i.

Landscape strips shall be located between the curb and sidewalk, and/or between the sidewalk and the property line. The required total width of the landscape strip may be distributed on either side of the sidewalk so as to accommodate existing infrastructure.

ii.

Landscape strips shall be designed with street trees and pedestrian scale streetlights as shown in Table 5.1 and the figures following the table.

iii.

See subsection C. for planting and materials requirements.

iv.

Large-scale retail has additional landscape standards as provided in section 5.7.8.

e.

Programmed road improvement projects. If DeKalb County or GDOT has a programmed road improvement project along the frontage to be developed, then the streetscape shall be constructed consistent with the design standards for such road improvements plans.

f.

Administrative variance. The director of planning shall have the power to grant administrative variances for streetscape requirements on existing streets upon written request by the property owner and compliance with article 7 based on a finding that the requirement of the subsection A.2. would have a significant adverse effect on the historic pattern or cannot be met due to circumstances beyond the control of the applicant, including, but not limited to:

i.

Inadequate right-of-way;

ii.

Conflicting standards between this section and GDOT design standards;

iii.

Unique topographic or subsurface conditions;

iv.

Need to relocate existing utilities.

B.

Sidewalks and interior walks.

1.

Sidewalks shall be paved in concrete and paver accents approved by the director of planning and kept clear and unobstructed for the safe and convenient use of pedestrians.

2.

Sidewalks shall adhere to ADA guidelines.

3.

Sidewalks shall be continued across intervening driveways by continuation of the sidewalk paving materials or other methods of differentiation.

4.

Where newly constructed sidewalks abut existing sidewalk(s), the newly constructed sidewalk shall provide safe transition of pedestrian traffic flow to the adjacent sidewalk(s). Development that disturbs existing sidewalks on another property shall replace disturbed areas to their pre-disturbance state and condition.

5.

For uses other than single-family residential, safe and convenient paved pedestrian pathways shall be provided from sidewalks along streets to each building entrance, including pedestrian access routes to parking decks and through parking lots and between adjacent buildings, transit stops, street crossings within the same development. All such pathways shall have a minimum width of three (3) feet.

C.

Landscape strip materials and maintenance.

1.

Required mix of materials. Landscape strips in the streetscape zone shall be planted with a variety of deciduous, over story and understory trees. Species of shrubs, flowering plants, grass and other ground covers, which are well adapted to the local climate, may be included in the landscape strip.

2.

Sidewalks. Sidewalks shall be paved in concrete and paver accents approved by the director of planning and kept clear and unobstructed for the safe and convenient use of pedestrians.

3.

Pedestrian crossing. Landscape strips may include brick, concrete, or granite pavers where on-street parking is provided or regular pedestrian crossing of the landscape strip is reasonably anticipated to occur.

4.

Maintenance. Required landscape strips shall be established and maintained by the owner(s). Topping of canopy trees is prohibited.

5.

Permanent structures. Permanent structures such as buildings, driveways that are not perpendicular to the landscape strip, parking spaces, dumpsters, drainage structures and detention facilities shall be prohibited in required landscape strips. The prohibition of this subsection shall not include crossings perpendicular to the strip, necessary retaining walls four (4) feet or lower, bike racks, benches, trash receptacles, signs, mailboxes, and drainage swales.

6.

Planting specifications, all trees.

a.

Planting areas for trees shall contain a minimum depth of twelve (12) inches of screened topsoil. Below twelve (12) inches the soil shall be un-compacted to a depth sufficient to allow proper drainage and root growth.

b.

Use of root barriers such as U.B.36 or an equivalent is required at the back of the sidewalk or back of the curb if no sidewalk exists.

c.

Trees shall meet the standard for American Nursery Stock ANSI Z60.1.

7.

Street trees.

a.

Street trees shall be overstory trees unless site constraints prohibit the use of large maturing trees, subject to the approval of the director of planning.

b.

Street trees shall be provided with spacing as depicted in Table 5.1.

c.

Street trees shall not be planted closer than twenty (20) feet from the curb line of intersecting streets and not closer than ten (10) feet from intersecting lines of alleys or private drives.

d.

Street trees shall not be planted closer than twelve (12) feet from light standards. No new light standard location shall be positioned closer than ten (10) feet to any existing street tree.

e.

Street trees shall not be planted closer than two and one-half (2.5) feet from the back of the curb.

f.

Where there are overhead power lines, street tree species are to be chosen from a list provided by the county arborist that will not interfere with those lines.

g.

Street trees, as they grow, shall be pruned to provide at least eight (8) feet of clearance above sidewalks and twelve (12) feet above driveways and roadway surfaces.

h.

Street trees shall be a minimum of two-inch caliper measured at six (6) feet above ground level at the time of planting and shall have a mature height of at least twenty-five (25) feet.

i.

Street trees shall be planted in a mulched area of at least twenty-five (25) square feet.

D.

Supplemental zone.

1.

In supplemental zones in commercial areas where building setbacks are fifteen (15) feet or less, the supplemental zone must contain hardscape and street furniture such as trash receptacles, bike racks, and benches.

2.

For additional requirements for supplemental zones abutting parking lots, see section 5.4.4.

E.

[Street lighting.] Street lighting shall be accomplished with pedestrian scale lighting and street lights. Street lights shall be placed on property lot lines abutting the street. Lighting plans must be approved by the department of public works. Lighting shall be installed by local power company employees or contractors.

F.

[Administrative variance.] An administrative variance to streetscape standards may be granted by the director of planning for adaptive reuse and redevelopment projects as specified in this section or to preserve historic patterns. In addition to other required materials, an applicant for an administrative variance to the streetscape standards shall include a site plan, drawn to scale, showing the existing right-of-way and specific conditions of the lot.

Table 5.1 Required Streetscape Dimensions

Required Streetscape Dimensions (Minimum, unless stated)
New Streets
Street Type	Streetscape Zone				Landscape Strip Elements
	Total Width	Landscape Strip	Sidewalk	Supplemental Zone	Light Pole Spacing (Max)	Street Tree Spacing (typical*)
Local Residential	11'	6'	5'	NONE	100'	30'
Local Non-residential	22'	6'	6'	10'	80'	50'
Arterial and Collector Non-residential & Mixed Use	20'	10'	6'	4'	80'	40' in Activity Centers
						50' outside Activity Centers

 

Required Streetscape Dimensions (Minimum, unless stated)
Existing Streets
Street Type	Streetscape Zone				Landscape Strip Elements
	Total Width	Landscape Strip	Sidewalk	Supplemental Zone	Light Pole Spacing (Max)	Street Tree Spacing (typical*)
Local Residential	11'	6'	5'	NONE	100'	30'
Local non-residential	12'	6'	6'	NONE	80'	50'
Arterial and Collector Non-residential & Mixed Use	16'	10'	6'	NONE	80'	40' in Activity Centers
						50' outside Activity Centers
*Location of street trees is subject to infrastructure and utility locations and approval by the county arborist and GDOT if state roads.

 

Streetscape Figure—Local Streets, Single Family Residential Districts

Streetscape Figure—Local Streets, all Other Districts

Streetscape Figure—Arterial and Collector Streets

( Ord. No. 15-06 , 8-25-2015)