Council adopts landscape and tree-preservation standards; requires green space and native-plant guidance

The Town of Woodfin Town Council approved a zoning-text amendment on June 17 that adds or strengthens landscaping, tree-preservation and green-space requirements across multiple zoning and subdivision rules.

Planning staff, supported by a council subcommittee, proposed the ordinance to add street-tree requirements, widen buffer yards, set minimum green-space thresholds and increase credit for preservation of large trees. The ordinance keeps the existing Mountain Village standards but extends clearer landscape rules to other zoning districts, including requirements for vegetative screening of dumpsters and utility/service areas and limits on speculative grading.

Key provisions the council adopted include: - Street trees at a spacing standard (one tree per approximately 40–50 feet of frontage, adjusted where overhead utilities interfere). - Buffer yards widened to 20 feet with planting minimums expressed per 100 linear feet (for example, a stated number of trees and shrubs per 100 feet). - Vehicular-use-area planting standards: one tree per specified area of vehicular use and planting islands sized at a minimum (300 sq ft) where required. - Minimum green-space: 5 percent minimum on most parcels, rising to 15 percent for major subdivisions; required green areas must include tree planting at roughly one tree per 1,000 sq ft of green space. - Greater tree-credit weight for preserving larger specimen trees (the code increases credits for larger trunks rather than capping eligibility at small sizes).

Staff and the council emphasized the ordinance aims to support tree canopy, reduce heat island effects and encourage native plants. The council also approved an appendix listing recommended native trees and shrubs (the list will be maintained as part of the code appendix; changes to the appendix will be handled through the town's formal amendment process when needed). Staff said the appendix is intended for required landscaping selections and to improve survivability and long-term maintenance.

During the planning-board hearing, a community member who helped compile the native list urged the council to share the plant list as an editable spreadsheet and noted that local nurseries carry many of the recommended species. Council members asked that the word "green space" be used in place of "open space" in the ordinance language; motion language adopting the amendment included that substitution.

Council voted in favor of the zoning-text amendment after a public hearing and a planning-board recommendation for approval. The amendment is intended to be enforceable as part of site-plan review and subdivision approval; staff told council that required plantings must be maintained and replaced if they die during the required maintenance period.