8-13D-10-5: LANDSCAPE DESIGN:

Additional landscaping should be added to enhance the aesthetic quality of the community and serve a wide variety of functions, including glare reduction, visual screening, wind buffer, spatial definition, highlighting architecture, guiding circulation, and creating wildlife habitat.

Landscaping within Hidden Springs shall integrate resource efficient design measures and environmentally compatible plants to ensure drought-resistant and water-conserving vegetation is an integral part of the design. All landscaping within the project should be provided in accordance with the requirements identified in the Hidden Springs Specific Plan.

   1.    Co lor s and textures of plant material should be consistent within the overall project common areas yet vary within the individual residential clusters or parcels in order to create unity in the common areas and variety in the individual parcels.

   2.   The ultimate mature size of plants will be evaluated on maintenance, life span and functional requirements. In areas where screening is needed, plants should be selected upon their form and branching density.

   3.   A series of linear rows of trees, or "hedgerows," should be planted in the valley floor to help maintain the site's rural character and break down the scale of the residential villages.

   4.    Street trees of significant size should be planted in the Village Center to shade sidewalks, parking, and roadway, and to minimize reflected solar heat.

   5.   All plant materials should be evaluated in terms of how well they enhance the architecture, existing plant material, enclose spaces and link various activities within Hidden Springs.

   6.   Climate influences should be considered in order to get maximum gain out of plant material. Deciduous plants along the south side and west side of buildings will be recommended since they provide summer shade while allowing winter sun to enter the building. Special consideration shall be given to trees with tap roots and/or noninvasive root growth.

   7.   Plants selected should be grouped/zoned according to water consumption rates and soil requirements. To aid in water conservation, plantings should be confined to planting beds. The use of mulches at appropriate depths shall also be encouraged.

   8.   Plants which require little maintenance should be favored over those which require constant spraying and pruning. Special attention shall be given to appropriate plant spacings, as this will reduce unwarranted pruning.

   9.   Plant life cycle should be considered with plant materials. An appropriate mix of slow, medium, and fast growth rates shall be encouraged. The result of a proper mix will be a long living, increased drought tolerant and disease resistant stand of vegetation.

   10.   Proper turf management aids in soil erosion control, dust stabilization, temperature moderation and high ground water recharge. The type and selection of turf areas should be selected in the same manner as all other plantings. When seeding or sodding a new lawn, the best management practices appropriate for the Treasure Valley and this specific property should be utilized. When hydro-mulching, the grass seed should be mixed into a slurry of water and cellulose and sprayed into the seed bed so that seed, mulch and even a permanganate fertilizer can be applied in one step.

   11.   Irrigation is critical for healthy plant material, with deep watering the best way to apply water. This promotes deeper roots which are not as susceptible to drought.

   All permanent systems are to be below ground and fully automatic. Use of water conserving systems including, but not limited to, drip irrigation and moisture sensors is strongly encouraged. Irrigation heads, where used, are to be adjusted to minimize runoff. All irrigation heads adjacent to paved areas, curbs and turf shall be of pop-up type.

   Backflow control devices are to be located so as to minimize their adverse visual impact. In addition, such control devices shall be screened by shrubs.

   12.   Undeveloped lots or portions of lots outside the building envelope should not be irrigated or ornamentally landscaped. These areas should, however, be enhanced with native, drought- resistant shrubs, grasses, and wildflowers to minimize weed growth and erosion.

   1 3.    Preserve mature trees, hedgerows, and woodlots, and incorporate as design elements of proposed developments.

   14.   Utilize open space and landscape buffers to transition from differing land uses, for example farm and rural lots to town center.

   15.   Encourage buffers between conflicting uses in the Village Center areas (residential vs. commercial), and on farm lots (agricultural practices vs. residential). Planting buffers should screen all off-street parking areas to the maximum extent practical.

   16.   Avoid plantings that obstruct sightlines at intersections and obstruct access to utility equipment.

   17.    Provide transition areas with low fuel volume plants where high fire hazard are as occur, (adjacent to undeveloped valley, grasslands, wooded hillsides).

   18.   Require all new landscaping material to be drought tolerant, native and from a list of less palatable and nonpalatable (to wildlife) plant species.

   19.   Encourage replanting of wildlife food species and plant species which enhance critical habitat for wildlife.

   20 .    Prohibit the installation and require the complete removal of noxious plants and weeds within the development envelope.

(Ord. 1002, 10-28-2025)