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Parking Lt Landscaping & PlantsMEMORANDUM April 1, 2003 TO:The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members FROM:Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager SUBJECT:Parking Lot Landscaping Guidelines and Recommended Plant Lists The Port of Dubuque Design Standards include standards, a recommended plant list, and a visual design vocabulary for parking lot landscaping. In applying these standards, the Port of Dubuque Design Review Committee has found that additional information about proper planting methods and a longer list of recommended plants would be beneficial in working with existing businesses and new developers in the Port. The Design Review Committee recommends City Council approval of the Parking Lot Landscaping Guidelines and Recommended Plant Lists. I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council approval. MCVM/jh Attachment cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager MEMORANDUM March 26, 2003 To:Michael Van Milligen, City Manager From:Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager Subject:Parking Lot Landscaping Guidelines and Recommended Plant Lists The Port of Dubuque Design Standards includes standards, a recommended plant list, and a visual design vocabulary for parking lot landscaping. In applying these standards, the Port of Dubuque Design Review Committee has found that additional information about proper planting methods and a longer list of recommended plants would be beneficial in working with existing businesses and new developers in the Port. The Port of Dubuque Design Review Committee has reviewed the enclosed Parking Lot Landscaping Guidelines and Recommended Plant Lists prepared by City Forester Steve Pregler and architect Steve Ulstad, who has developed the parking lot landscaping for the Grand Harbor Resort and Waterpark and the Grand River Center. The current Recommended Plant List is enclosed, which you can see is fairly short. The Committee believes that the expanded Parking Lot Landscaping Guidelines and Recommended Plant Lists will be a useful supplement to the Port of Dubuque Design Standards. The Committee recommends City Council approval of the Parking Lot Landscaping Guidelines and Recommended Plant Lists. If approved, the expanded Parking Lot Landscaping Guidelines and Recommended Plant Lists will be added to the Appendix of the Design Standards in place of the existing Recommended Plant List. Enclosures CC Pauline Joyce, Administrative Services Manager Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager Icarsten/Arnedca's River/Port of DubuquetParldng Lot Landscaping/memo mvrn landscaping guidelines.doc Existing Appendix Bibliography Bart Eoglneeflng Company. 2001, Mbmesota Urban Small Sites BMP Manual; Stormwater best l~],anagement practices for coM climates. Metropotitao Council En~iroomenta] Services. Available from the Metropolitan Council at 651-§02~ lBO0 or www. metrocounalLo~g. Claytor, Ric?rd A. oald Thomas E. Scbueler, 199ti. Design of Stormwater FtlterbLg Systems. Chesapeake Research Consorgum. Available from The~entar for Watershed Protection at 41g-4tit~ 8323 Minnesota Potiution Control Agency. 2000. Protecting Water Quality in Urban Areas; tiest management practices for dealing with stona water ruuoff from urban, suburb~h and developing areas in Minnesota. Mionesota Pollution Control Agency. Available from tire MPCA contact Mary Osborn at 051~296-7523 Pre-Development Temporary Fencing The foBowing products are pre-approved by tile City for use at the Port of Dubuque; however,~It shall ,b.e understood that B~e Adllesfen: HF-weldabfe. Recommended Plant List Res Auturon Blaze Maple River Birch IIacbhar Marallallr~eedless Ash Acer x fieemanti 'Jeffma Red' Betula nigra Ualtis accldentalts Fraxinus pennsylvanica 'Marsball~ Seedless' Shrubs Black Cbokeberrry* Aronia metanocarpa Isanti Dogwood* Comus sericea 'lsanfi' Sroooth Wild Rose Rosa blonds Meadowsweet Spiraea alba Westarn Snowberry Sympboricarpos occidealtalls Grasses tiebb's Sedge Corex bebbti FOX Sedge Carex vu~inoidea Soft Rush Juneus ellUSLL~ Torroy Rush Juncos torreyt Little Blueslem Schizachyciuro scoparium Prairie Dropseed SporoboI~ hete~lepis Ftowl3r$ Yarrow Achitiea 'Moonshine' Marsh Milkweed Asclepiasincarnata , Alert Red Aster Aster novi-belgll 'Alert New England Aster * Aster novae-angliae Joe Pye Weed * Eupatorlum roaculatum Meadow Blazing Star Liatsb tigulls~lis Great Blue Lob~ia Lobetia siphibtica, Bee Balm Monarda didyma Marsbatis Obedient Plant Delight' Black Eyed Susan Ph~sostegla vlr$iniana Splderwort RudbeekTa fulg~da 'Goldsturm Culver~ Root* Tradescantia oJtlansis Golden Alexanders Veronicastrum vlrginicum Zizla aurea * Hams that should be reserved for buffer and scree.log areas because they grow over 3 feet in beigbt and may btiLibR surveglance, Streetscape Furnishings List Tile following products are preapproved by lhe City for use at die Port of Dubuque; however, it shall be understood tilat file items listed are all subject to all ~or equal~ review process. Product substitutions of equal design, qualily and performance are permissable per the review and approval of tile City. Cafe Table: 'Steelhead' 3g' table lop with "Corona" surface mount base, Grottopowdercoat, Landscape Forms Kalamazoo, ML lumfealre by Garden CA 22 Style with minimum 250 w.aR Metal powdercoat RAL 9017 (b ack) sesooth gloss finish. PARKING LOT LANDSCAPING GUIDELINES Trees and other various landscape plants can be used to fulfill specific landscape functions and be aesthetically pleasing when placed in parking lot planters and medians. Urban parking lots are harsh environments for trees and other landscape plants. They are subject to limited soil volumes, reflected heat and light from the pavement, automobile exhaust fumes, soil contaminants and mechanical injury. To ensure the success of parking lot landscape plantings, trees in particular, a favorable soil environment is critical. The soil environment must have sufficient open surface area for replenishment of oxygen, water and mineral elements; and an adequate soil volume to hold and provide all of these essential resources necessary for healthy root growth. Without them, the plants will slowly decline and die. Tree performance and longevity are directly related to the soil quality and volume provided them. For trees, soil volume is critical because it must be able to hold and supply adequate moisture to meet the trees increased transpiration needs, due to the parking lot heat island effect. Medium sized trees require 600-1,000 cubic feet of soil to grow with a lower risk of environmental stress and have a more reasonable longevity. Soil quality is also critical. A friable clay loam soil provides aeration, allowing oxygen to the roots; adequate water holding capacity but well drained; and a supply of the thirteen essential mineral elements required for plant growth. Healthy soils also contain a multitude of beneficial soil microorganisms, which form a symbiotic relationship with the plants. With good soils, tree selection is not a hit and miss proposition. Disturbed or man-made soils that are frequently encountered in parking lot plants do not exist in nature; thus, it is not entirely possible to select a tree genetically adept to these disturbed soil types. The perfect tree: one that is flood tolerant, drought resistant and able to adept to poor soil conditions and a number of other desirable attributes, does not exist. Favorable parking lot trees are trees we call pioneer trees. Pioneer trees, in nature, are the first ones to establish in the open prairie where conditions are often as harsh as those found in a parking lot. Planting Guidelines A raised planter, sidewalk planting pit or planting median should be designed to hold an adequate soil volume for the size tree or trees selected (600 - 1,000 cubic feet per medium size tree). Maximize the soils open surface area whenever possible. Raised beds in a median or island planter provide additional soil volume and open surface area. Medians or island planters should be a minimum of 10 feet wide. A minimum depth of 36 inches of soil should be used when figuring soil volumes for raised planters and sidewalk planting pits, and a 24-inch depth for planting medians. A typical island or median planter might measure 10 feet by 30 feet by 2 feet. A typical raised planter might measures 10 feet by 20 feet by 3 feet. A typical sidewalk planting pit or vault might measure 6 feet by 6 feet at the grate opening, but the vault beneath the sidewalk might measure 10 feet by 20 feet by 3 feet for a single tree. Linear street side plantings might share a single vault 10 feet wide by 3 feet deep that runs the entire length of the city block beneath the sidewalk. Raised planters, sidewalk plantings pits and planting medians should be designed to provide adequate water drainage away from the effective root area. This can be accomplished using perforated PVC pipe in a gravel bed, protected from silt with a geotextile covering. NOTE: Many variations in planter design exist. Most planters will be designed for the particular site. Four key elements must be met: (1) Adequate soil volume, (2) Adequate open surface area, (3) Adequate drainage, and (4) Quality topsoil. A friable clay loam topsoil with a 4-6% organic matter content should be used as the primary planting medium. The soil should be relatively free of stones and other debris. In most instances, small and medium sized trees will be most appropriate for parking lot plantings. When trees or other plant materials are planted in medians that are perpendicular to the parking stalls, they should be placed a minimum of four feet behind the curb. Follow the latest tree planting recommendations for successful planting as outlined in the Sample Planting Specifications for Trees by Edward F. Gillman. Carefully remove wire baskets from the tree's root ball. Planting depth is critical. Make sure that the root crown is visible at the top of the root ball. Place the root ball in the planting hole so that the root crown is level with or above grade. The rope and 1/3 of the burlap should be cut away at the top of the root ball before you finish backfilling. All tree and parking lot landscape plantings should be mulched with organic mulch, such as shredded bark or wood chips; 2-3 inches deep. Mulch should not come in contact with the tree's trunk. (Trees and turf do not compete well together; therefore turf is not recommended as a landscape groundcover around plantings.) Not all geotextile fabrics are created equal. Their effectiveness varies, depending upon their porosity. The less porous the material, the more effective it is as a weed barrier and barrier to the free movement of water and oxygen to the soil. The use of geotextile fabrics is not recommended. Proper Tree Planting Diagram .Remove transit guard~ Remove wire baskets:~ ~ro cbt top and fold wn in the after ~ositioned airway. Cut and fold down burlap from upf~er 1/2 of bali. Cbt and remove all poly ties. 2 - 4" Of woody mulch:Aged wood chips, §i~redde, d bark, or similar mulch. Keep-~ mulch 6" back from trunk. Branching:Low Branches are but alp or ' or double leaders at planting time. graft Root collar shall be -level or up to ~ - 2" above fin~shed grade. -Remove excess soil from top of bail if needed. Grade Bacfftfll: Use existing soil Water tehflmgrq, ug. hly to Inane air pockets. Do not tamp! Soil under ball undisturbed to support root ball and reduce settling 3 tfmes ball diameter · Break down sides of the hole when ba clcElling Stake only if you have to. Use 2-3';wide webbing straps and secure to stakes with heavy gauge wire. The wire should be able to stick straight out from the stake and hold the webbing strap up, preventing it from sliding down the tree. Do not stake tightly - trees gain strength from movement. Remove all stakes after one year. Use of tree wrap is not recommended, as it causes a number of problems for the tree. Wisconsin Dept. Of Natural Resources - Oct. 2000 RECOMMENDED PLANT LISTS Below are the recommended plant lists of trees, shrubs, grasses and perennials that are suitable for parking lot landscape plantings. The lists include common name, scientific name, and variety (if any). Deciduous Trees Large Trees (40'- 60') Freeman Maple Norway Maple River Birch Hackberry Ginkgo Honey Locust Little Leaf Linden Swamp White Oak Bur Oak Red Oak Green Ash Acer freemanii Acer platanoides Betula nigra Celtis occidentalis Ginkgo biloba Gleditsia tricanthos inermis Tilia cordata Quercus bicolor Quercus macrocarpa Quercus rubra Fraxinus pennsylvanica Autumn Blaze Emerald Queen, Easy Street* Moraine, Shademaster, Skyline Glenleven Patmore, Prairie Spire, Summit*, Marshall's Seedless Ash Medium Trees (35'-40') Norway Maple Acerplatanoides Honey Locust Gledtisia tricanthos inermis Ornamental Pear Pyrus callerana Big Leaf Linden Ti/ia Americana Columnar*, Parkway* Imperial, True Shade Aristocrat*, Autumn Blaze, Chanticeleer*, Red Spire Redmond* Small Trees (15'-35') Norway Maple Hybrid Maple Thomless Hawthorn Hawthorn Little Leaf Linden Red Bud Pagoda Dogwood Sargent Cherry Ornamental Crabapple Acer platanoides Acer truncatum xA. Platanoides Cratagus crusgalli inermis Cratagus crusgalli x lavallei Ti/ia Cordata Cersis Canadensis Cornus alferifolia Prunus eargentii Malus (various) Crimson Sentry* Pacific Sunset* Cockspur Lavalle Chancellor* Adirondak*, Centurion*, Lisit*,Golden Raindrops*, Sentinel*, Harvest Gold*, Spring Snow Crab *Indicates a more upright form Ever.qreen Trees Large Trees (50') Norway Spruce Black Hills Spruce Medium Trees (25-30') Eastern Red Cedar American Arborvitae Small Trees (10'-15') Chinese Upright Juniper Upright Junipers Arborvitae Picea abies Picea glauca Juniperus virginiana Thuja occidentalis Juniperus chinensis Juniperus scopulorum Thuja occidentalis Hetz Columnar, Mountbatten Blue Haven, Medora, Wichita Blue Techny, Woodward, Emerald Green Shrubs Evergreen Shrubs Creeping Juniper Spreading Juniper Mugho Pine Arborvitae Flowering Shrubs Burning Bush Honeysuckle Potenttilla Weigela Black Chokeberry** Isanti Dogwood** Smooth Wild Rose Western Snowberry Shasta Viburnum** Viburnum** Cranberry Bush** Spirea Juniperus horizontalis Juniperus chinensis Pinus mugo Thuja occidentalis Euonymus alta compacta Lonicera x xylosteoides Potentilla fruticosa Weigela florida Aronia melanocarpa Comus serices 'lsanti' Rosa blanda Symphoricarpos occidentalis Viburnum plicatum shasta Viburnum dentatum Viburnum trilobum Spiraea x bulmada Andorra, Blue Rug, Hughes Pfitzer, Sargent Blue, Sea Green Hetz Midget, Woodward Spirea Spiraea x japonica Spirea Spirea a/ba Dwarf Burning Bush Clavey's Dwarf Gold Drop Red Prince Chicago Lustre Compact American Anthony Waterer, Goldflame, Goldmound Little Princess Meadowsweet **Plants that should be reserved for buffer and screening areas because they grow over 3 feet in height and may inhibit surveillance. Grasses Bebb's Sedge Fox Sedge Soft Rush Torrey Rush Little Bluestem Prairie Dropseed Feather Reed Grass Blue Lyme Grass Silver Grass Fountain Grass Carex bebb# Carex vulpinoidea Juncus effuses Juncus torreyi Schizachyrium scoparium Sporobolus heterolepis Calamogrostis x acutiflora Elymus arenarius Miscanthus sinensis Pennisetum alopecurolder Karl Foerster Morning Lights Perennials Yarrow Marsh Milkweed Red Aster New England Aster** Joe Pye Weed** Meadow Blazing Star Great Blue Lobelia Bee Balm Obedient Plant Black Eyed Susan Spiderwort Culver's Root** Golden Alexanders Happy Returns Purple Coneflower Shasta Daisy Daffodils Ach#lea Ascepias incarnate Aster novi-belgii Aster novae-angliae Eupatorium maculatum Liatds ligulistylis Lobelia siphilitica Monarda didyma Physostegia virginiana Rudbeckia fulgidia Tradescantia ohiensis Veronicastrum virginicum Zizia aurea Hemerocallis Echinacea purpurea Chrysanthemum Narcissi Moonshine, Coronation Gold Alert Marshall's Delight Goldstrum Superbum Becky Show & Naturalizing **Plants that should be reserved for buffer and screening areas because they grow over 3 feet in height and may inhibit surveillance,