Art. 33-Screening Standards ARTICLE 33. SCREENING STANDARDS
Sec. 12-33-0. Purpose.
To encourage the most appropriate use of land and conserve and protect the privacy and value of adjacent
permitted uses, regulations are prescribed for the location and type of various screening devices to be used
when required in the various zoning districts or in this section in accordance with the following standards.
(Ord. No. 91500-A-30)
Sec. 12-33-1. Location of required screening.
1. Where thc side, rear, or service side of an apartment, or the side, rear, or service side of a non-
residential use is adjacent to a single-family or two-family residential district, a screening wall not less than
six feet in height shall be erected separating the use from the adjacent residential district. In addition, a
perimeter landscape area at least ten feet wide shall adjoin thc screening wall. The perimeter landscape area
shall contain trees spaced no less than 40 feet apart and include such landscaping as outlined in Table I of
article 34. No screening is required adjacent to a slwet except as required in paragraph 2. in this section. All
screening walls shall conform to 12-33-1.8. All trees and landscape areas shall comply with sections 12-34-
1-6 and 12-34-1-7.
2. When the side, rear or service side of a non-residential or multi-family use is adjacent to a public
thoroughfare with greater than 60 feet of right-of-way screening six fcct in height shall be provided. All
screening walls shall conform to 12-33-1.8.
3. In a non-residential district where parking space for motor vehicles is provided adjacent to or
within ten feet ora residential district, whetber the district boundary lines arc separated by a street or alley
or not, screening two feet in height shall be provided between the boundary of such parking areas and the
residential district. This requirement does not waive the requirements of paragragh 1, however, providing
screening as required in paragraph 1. may fulfill thc requirements of this paragraph.
4. In all districts wbere screening of loading areas facing a street is required, screening shall be
provided not less than six feet in height adjacent to the loading area at the property linc. Said screening
shall be required parallel to all streets and located 30 feet from the street R.O.W./property line except
where such use was in existence at thc date of adoption of this Ordinance. Screening adjacent to a street
shall conform to 12-33-1.8. Screening may be allowed 1 $ feet behind the front property line provided that a
landscape plan has been submitted and approved by the planning commission that clearly indicates the
screening wall location.
5. In ali districts wbere screening of open storage is required such screening shall be required only
for those areas used for open storage. A six feet high screening wall shall be provided and maintained
parallel to the property line adjacent to the area to be screened, lfthe screening wall for open storage is
required along a street edge, the screening wall shall be located 30 feet from the street R.O.W./property line
and shall conform to 12-33-1.8. Screening may be allowed 15 feet behind the front property linc provided
that a landscape plan has been submitted and approved by thc planning commission that clearly indicates
the screening wall location.
6. Refuse storage areas not adjacent to an alley for all uses other than single-family and duplex
dwellings shall be visually screened by a six foot high solid fence on all sides except the side used for
garbage pickup service, such side shall not be required to be screened.
(A) Ali ground and wall mounted mechanical and utility equipment including, but not limited to, air
conditioning units, generators, and transformers shall be visually screened by a solid screening wall at a
minimum height so os to provide visual screening of such equipment from adjacent properties and public
rights-of-way. Installation of evergreen landscaping material, as deemad acceptable to the director of
planning, may be substituted in lieu of the screen wall, under circumstances where the topography, zoning
and usc of such property would promote the general health, safety, and welfare of the commnnity.
(B) All roof-mounted utility and mechanical equipment including, but not limited to, fans, vents, air
conditioning units, cooling towers, and satellite dishes, shall bc screened so as not to be visible at ground
level from the adjacent properties and/or public rights-of-way, that complies with fire code requirements. In
general, thc screening of roof monnted utility and mechanical equipment shall be provided by a parapet
wall, unless otherwise permitted by the city council.
i. Overall screening height shall be thc height oftbe highest clement of roof-mounted equipment.
ii. The outside of the screening device, if independent of the building facade, shall be painted or
otherwise fmished in a color similar to the building facade, Irim, or roof surface, whichever color is more
effective in minimizing the visibility of the equipment and screen from public rights-of-way and/or
adjacent properties.
7. Where subdivisions are platted so that the rear yards of single-family, two-family, or townhouse
residential lots are adjacent to a dedicated roadway, or separated from a roadway by an alley or service
road, the developer shall provide, at his sole expense, screening that conforms to section 12-33-1.8.
8. The city council may waive or modify, in exceptional cases, the requirements of this section. All
forms of screening shall conform to the requirements of the ordinances of the city governing the sight
distance for lraffic safety and other city ordinances. The types of permissible screening are:
(A) A brick wall with a minimum height of six feet and a maximum height of eight feet shall be
located on the street right-of-way line. The color of the wall shall be limited to earth-tone colors, (i.e.
brown, tan, red, gray, etc.). The color of the wall shall be uniform and/or compatible on both sides ora
thoroughfare for the entire length of the thoroughfare between two intersecting thoroughfares. When walls
are built in sections, the colors shall be as closely similar as possible, but shall, in no case, be incompatible.
Plans and specifications for the wall shall be approved by the city. M_aso_.._n~ columns shall be expressed at a _
minimum often feet and a maximum of 30 feet on centers and should typically be taller than the remainder
of the wall.
'~iling at the ~o£the wall shall produce a change in plane or texture. Developers are encouraged
to create offsets in the wall to provide visual variety. The wall shall be placed on an appropriate stru,~ctural
concrete of'~oting; trees shall be planted in the landscaping strip between the curb and screening wall
ac~cording to standards set in article 34 for non-residential and multi-family lots. Landscaping, in the form
of trees and shrubs, shall be used to break up long continuous lengths of wall. In general, a minimum of 15
percent of the wall elevation should be screened with vegetation. The developer may, at his option, install
planter beds adjacent to the wall. In such event, the developer shall provide total maintenance for the beds
until an owners association is in existence to provide maintenance in accordance with article 34. The
developer shall install automatic irrigation bubblers or other means of irrigation approved by the city. Plant
materials shall be selected from the plant palette in the approved Coppell Streetscape Plan.
(B) Where appropriate, as long as the view beyond the fence is appropriately landscaped and is not a
view of the rear yards or fences of housing, a combination of brick and ironwork can be utilized. The
masonry portion shall be constructed according to the criteria described in the previous paragraph (A).
Landscaping and maintenance requirements are also identical except that a landscaped area must be
provided behind open ironwork to provide an appropriate view beyond. These landscaped areas beyond
shall also become the responsibility of an owners association or individual property owner to provide
proper maintenance.
(C) Where subdivisions are platted so that the side yards of single-family residential lots are adjacent
to a roadway that is identified as a primary or secondary image zone in the approved city streetscape plan,
the developer shall provide a screening wall to screen the rear portion of the lots. The wall shall conform to
criteria established in paragraphs A and B of this subsection. The length of wall shall be equal to one-half
of the depth of the lot or to the fenced in rear portion of the lot, whichever is greater.
(D) Where subdivisions are platted so that the side yards of single-family residential lots are adjacent
to a dedicated roadway and where a cul-de-sac approaches the paved roadway, but does not intersect with
it, the developer shall provide, at his sole expense, a living screen composed of plants in the approved plant
palette. Plants shall be a minimum of three feet in height. Plant spacing shall vary, depending on the type of
plants, as required by the city council; however, suggested maximum spacings are 25 feet for trees and 12
feet for shrubs. A solid living screen is not required. The living screen shall not be planted opposite the
front yard of residuntial lots which front on streets which intersect with the paved roadway. The developer
shall provide total maintenance for the living screen until adjacent lots are sold. At the end of the
maintenance period, all plants in the living screen shall be in a healthy and growing condition. The living
screen shall be planted between the sidewalk and the right-of-way line.
(E) At development and subdivision entry features, all walls and raised planter beds shall be of brick
or stone construction unless otherwise approved by the planning and zoning commission and city council.
The wall construction and landscaped requirements of paragraphs (A) and (B) shall apply to development
and subdivision entry features. In addition, the design of the entry feature must conform to the visibility
requirements of the subdivision and zoning ordinances. Paving materials should be incorporated into the
design of the pavement at entry features in a manner compatible with that used at major or secondary
intersections in the city.
(F) In light and heavy industrial zoned districts, where the site is not adjacent to a residential zoned
district or a residential use screening walls shall be constructed ora masonry material and design that is
compatible with the adjacent building.
(Ord. No. 91500-A-30; Ord. No. 91500-A-297, § 1, 2-13-01)
Sec. 12-33-2. Maximum height and widths.
All required plant screening material shall be trimmed and primed to prevent heights and widths which will
cause visibility problems for traffic or other safety hazards, but not to a height less than the required
minimums.
(Ord. No. 915001A~30