The Planning Commission on July 28 approved the landscape plan for a proposed self-storage facility at 425 Highway 74 South, finding the planting layout meets requirements given site limitations from retaining walls, easements and a shared drive with an adjacent property.

Staff said the site is zoned GI (General Industrial) and that the Land Development Ordinance requires tree-caliper plantings based on impervious area. For this site, the ordinance's standard calculation (based on the listed impervious area) produced a requirement of 210 caliper inches of canopy trees and 138 caliper inches of understory trees. Staff reported the applicant identified 6,206 square feet of vegetation to be preserved, which allowed a 5% reduction under LDO Section 1110; the adjusted requirement was cited as 202 caliper inches of canopy trees and 131 caliper inches of understory trees.

The applicant proposed 114 inches of canopy trees (about 57% of the reduced requirement) and 70 inches of understory trees (about 53% of the reduced requirement) and requested alternative compliance. Staff explained site constraints: continuous retaining walls along much of the boundary with foundations that must not be disturbed, 10-foot no-plant buffers from wall foundations per City Engineer guidance, and several sewer easements that prevent planting in narrow strips. Staff said the applicant placed trees where physically possible and chose species including red maple, black tupelo (black gum), redbud, eastern red cedar, dogwood, scarlet oak and bald cypress, and noted most selections are native to the Eastern U.S.

Several commissioners asked process questions. Commissioner Halverson asked whether underground modular retention systems might allow more plantings atop them; staff said the proposed detention pond had already been approved in construction drawings and that such alternatives would typically be evaluated earlier in the civil design process. Commissioner Chris and Commissioner Henry praised the applicant's use of native species and noted the plan's difficulty given easements and walls.

The commission voted to approve the landscape plan as submitted by motion and second. The City Engineer had reviewed wall details and recommended planting restrictions near foundations; staff said the applicant adjusted tree placement to meet a 10-foot setback where possible.

(Ending) Staff suggested the commission or city could explore underground stormwater storage or other retention alternatives in the future; no specific changes to this project were requested.