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Article 6: Development Standards 89 <br /> Section 6.8: Landscaping,Buffers&Tree Protection <br /> (3) During construction activities, adequate protective measures shall be provided to <br /> minimize damage to existing trees and other vegetation. <br /> (4) All tree protection fencing sl*JI be installed prior to any grading,construction <br /> traffic or activity taking place on site. <br /> (5) Logging mats shall be used in areas where critical root zones may be disturbed <br /> during construction. <br /> (6) Signs shall be posted identifying the tree protection areas and shall state the <br /> area is not to be disturbed. Such protective devices shall effectively protect the <br /> critical root zones,trunks, and tops of trees to be retained and shall be <br /> maintained until all work hawbben completed. <br /> (7) Construction traffic,storage of vehicles and materials, soil compaction,filing,and <br /> grading shall not take place within the drip line of trees to be preserved. <br /> (8) Construction access to a site should be located where an existing or proposed <br /> entrance/exit is located. <br /> (9) A stabilized open area should be designated for storage of materials(including <br /> stockpiling of soil and gravel)and for parking construction vehicles and <br /> equipment. <br /> (C) Mitigation <br /> Where grading within a critical root zone of a tree cannot be avoided,the following <br /> measures shall be used to maintain the life of the trees affected by grading: <br /> (1) Avoid cut and fill around the entire circumference of the trunk of the tree; <br /> (2) Root prune a tree several months prior to.any cuts within the critical root zone; <br /> (3) Prune tree limbs in an amount,which reflects the area of the roots to be severed, <br /> but in no case allow pruning to exceed 25%of the tree crown. Fertilize, if <br /> necessary and water the undisturbed root area of the tree; <br /> (4) Trees that are marked for preservation and for which utilities must pass through <br /> their critical root zones shall not have surface-dug trenches;and <br /> (5) Utilities shall be bored through critical root zone areas. Shared utility easements <br /> or trenches are encouraged. <br /> 6.8.6* Landscaping Standards <br /> (A) General Design Guidelines <br /> The following are guidelines and should be included where possible in the landscape <br /> plan,and shall be balanced against other objectives of this Section when reviewing a <br /> landscape and tree preservation plan. <br /> (1) The use of potable water sources to irrigate should be minimized by utilizing <br /> rainwater or other allowable systems. <br /> (2) Native, non-invasive, and drought tolerant species should be arranged into zones <br /> according to their water needs, by employing xenscaping. <br /> (3) Landscaping in the rural zoning districts(RB,AR and R1)should be clustered to <br /> provide a more natural look. More formal arrangements are possible in the <br /> medium and high density residential districts as well as the commercial,aR4 <br /> industrial, and economic developments'zoning designations. <br /> 9'Staff is suggesting this addition since more formal landscaping arrangements would seem to be appropriate in the <br /> economic development zoning districts as well. <br /> Orange County,North Carolina—Unified Development Ordinance Page 6-48 <br />