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73 <br />Attachment 5 <br />Tom Alfieri <br />Orange County Planning Department <br />Tom: <br />I am responding to the request to review the proposed Unified Development Ordinance, <br />specifically for the SECTION 6.6 LANDSCAPING, BUFFERS & TREE <br />PROTECTION67s <br />Following are some comments that I hope will be helpful in your updates. What is in red is <br />extracted from the draft UDO and in black are my comments. <br />(D) Landscaping of Vehicular Use Areas <br />(1) Perimeter Buffer <br />(b) In addition to the trees required on -site a hedge of at least three_ <br />feet in height at maturity shall be installed to provide a <br />continuous opaque landscape barrier for the purpose of reducing <br />glare and visual distractions to passing motorists and to adjacent <br />properties Berms and/or fences or a combination of all three <br />may also be utilized. <br />(c) For security purposes hedges berms and/or fences shall not <br />exceed three and one half feet when adjacent to public rights -of ways. <br />This section has conflicting aims and provisions. As I understand it, subsection b) requires <br />a hedge of at least three feet in height to provide a continuous opaque landscape <br />barrier and subsection c) the hedges, etc, cannot exceed three and one half feet. First <br />of all, it will be very difficult to maintain shrubs between 3 and 3'/2 feet in height. Plants <br />grow and depending on the selection and conditions of the 'native' plant, it is not <br />practical the way this is written. Please clarify intent - suggest a more prescriptive <br />approach rather than being specific. It will be extremely difficult for any agency to <br />enforce this the way it is written. <br />PLANNING STAFF RESPONSE: This requirement is consistent with Crime Prevention <br />Through Environmental Design (CPTED) guidelines for vehicular use areas, which <br />support the regular trimming of landscaped areas to maintain adequate line of sight at <br />intersections and other areas of public right -of -way. <br />6.8.9 Screening <br />(B) Standards <br />Features and uses specified above shall provide a visual obstruction from <br />adjacent properties in conformance with the following standards: <br />Trash and recycling containers must be contained within a gated, <br />durable and attractive enclosure co patible with building architecture. <br />Shrubs shall be planted around the foundation. <br />What does this mean? Shrubs planted around foundation of what? The dumpster /trash <br />enclosure? <br />PLANNING STAFF RESPONSE: Yes, shrubs planted around the foundation of the <br />enclosure for the refuse container(s). <br />