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larger sites such as big box retailers staff suggests using an industry standard parking <br />minimum of 4 spaces per 1,000 and a maximum of 5 spaces per 1,000 for shopping <br />centers. There was some concern expressed by the City Council to set a maximum <br />however, several members did acknowledge that is may be feasible as the proposed <br />minimum and maximum are based on industry standards. <br />The amendment also provides illustrations of parking stalls and drive aisle standards to <br />assist in interpretation. Different options for paving of parking and drive isles are <br />clarified, including an option for the use of pervious pavers provided appropriate soils <br />and site conditions exist. Alternative surface materials may also be considered in the rear <br />yards with an interim use permit. <br />This draft includes parking lot landscaping requirements to strive for more landscaping <br />and placement of trees within parking lot areas to reduce heat island effect while <br />improving aesthetics. Based on comments with the City Council who expressed concern <br />for the amount of landscaping being required in parking lot areas, staff has revised this <br />section to apply only to parking lots of ten vehicles or more. Also, staff is suggesting that <br />the total amount of trees required in parking lots can be located within interior parking <br />areas at 50% of the total with the remaining 50% in the parking lot setback areas. This <br />change was made to address concern over placement and use of islands in parking lots <br />and will result in less parking within the parking areas. <br />On page 10 additional "alternative language" is also provided for the Planning <br />Commissioners consideration that simply requests all open areas of site be landscaped <br />without a requirement for any landscaping in islands within parking areas. This <br />alternative will not meet the intent of the first option of improving site aesthetics and <br />reducing heat island effects in parking lots. <br />Perimeter parking area landscape requirements have been added (for parking lots of ten <br />vehicles or more, which requires sites in business or employment district abutting a street <br />or similar district to provide landscape screening at a minimum of 3 feet in height to <br />screen headlights. Where a business or employment district abuts a residential district a <br />landscape screen of 6 feet in height and 80% opaqueness is required. This is a current <br />requirement but written with addition detail and graphics. An alternative to this 6 feet <br />height requirement is provided on page 11 that requires a mature height of landscaped <br />screening between 4 and 6 feet in height. <br />Finally a new Minimum Parking Requirement Alternative section has been added for <br />review and input. This new section is intended to require new construction or expansion <br />in Business, Employment and Mixed Use districts to use parking alternatives if proposing <br />parking below or above minimum requirements. The draft suggests that a minimum of <br />two of the proposed choices be required. <br />Draft Consolidated Landscaping Section <br />A draft consolidated landscaping section has been prepared based on support expressed <br />by the Planning Commission. The intent of this section is to consolidating landscaping <br />into one section to provide more consistency and to limit duplication. A draft has been <br />prepared using current requirements for the B-1, B-2, E-1, E-2 and E-3 districts. In <br />3 <br />