06/28/2000 Env Bd Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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JUN -23 -2000 08:31 651 292 0083 P.05/09 ROUGH DRAFT 06/21/00 • LANDSCAPE /SCREENING ORDINANCE OUTLINE — LINO LAKES • • I. INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE Enhancing the environmental quality and visual character of the community is important to the City of Lino Lakes. The City places a high value on preserving it's existing natural amenities and integrating new urban development into the natural environment. To achieve these objectives, the City has established landscaping and screening requirements for development on private property to promote: • Attractive Development: Landscaping and screening enhance the aesthetics of the built environment and allow better integration of new development with the surrounding landscape. Appropriate screening can mitigate potential negative impacts of certain uses while improving the visual quality of the built environment. Landscaping can also establish a sense of human scale in the built environment, making it feel more comfortable and appealing. • Landscape -scale Approach: The City recognizes that natural landscapes do not follow man -made boundaries such as property lines or jurisdictional boundaries. Therefore, the City encourages landscape plantings in new developments that reflect the plant communities intrinsic to the development site. While the City recognizes that some of the existing ecological systems have been severely altered, use of native plants as the foundation for new landscaping can enhance the overall environmental quality and ecological continuity of the community. • Wildlife Habitat: Landscaping that reflects and enhances the ecological function of the site can contribute to its value for sustaining wildlife habitat and movement corridors. ■ Environmental Quality: Landscape plantings help moderate the local micro- climate through the provision of cooling shade, wind blocks, heat reflection and absorption. Landscape plants can also improve air quality by filtering dust and other air -borne particles, intercept and filter surface water run -off, and help control erosion. • Consistent Standards: Establishing reasonable standards for the provision of landscaping on private property can foster systematic improvements in the visual quality of the community while enhancing environmental quality and ecological continuity. • Administration: Provide for administration and enforcement of the landscaping and screening regulations herein to promote and protect the public health, safety, and welfare of the community. 1