ZONING BYLAW - Town of Charlton

5.17.1.3 The buffer zones shall be planted with grass, ground cover, medium height shrubs,
and shade trees planted at least every thirty feet (30’). The buffer zone shall include both
deciduous and evergreen shrubs and trees. Trees and shrubs at driveway intersections shall be set
back a sufficient distance from such intersections so as not to obstruct traffic visibility. Trees
shall be at least eight feet (8’) tall with a trunk caliper of at least two inches (2”).
5.17.1.4 Exposed storage areas, machinery, garbage “dumpsters,” service areas, truck loading
areas, utility buildings and structures shall be placed to the rear of buildings in visually
unobtrusive locations. Screening and landscaping shall prevent direct views of the loading areas
and their driveways from adjacent properties or from public or private streets used by the general
public. Screening and buffering shall be achieved through walls, fences and landscaping, shall be
a minimum of six feet (6’) tall, and shall be visually impervious.
5.17.1.5 Materials to be used in the buffer zone include but are not limited to the following:
natural/existing vegetation, natural topography, berms, stone walls, fences, deciduous and
coniferous shrubs/trees, perennials, annuals, pedestrian scale walkways, and other landscape
materials that enhance the aesthetic quality of the site. The final approval of all material used
within the buffer zone shall be at the discretion of the Planning Board.
5.17.1.6 Street trees shall be planted along the edge of the parking lot at a maximum average
of thirty feet (30’) on center. Parking lot edges which abut property under a different ownership
shall have a screening wall or be planted with shrubs that obtain a height of at least three feet
(3’) feet in three years with a maximum spacing of three feet (3’) on center.
5.17.1.7 Mechanical equipment such as HVAC units, telephone boxes, or electrical
transformers shall be integrated into the site design through use of landscaping, berms, or fences
and shall be as unobtrusive as possible. HVAC units may be located behind roof ridge lines so
they are not visible from the front view of the building.
B. Parking and Access
In addition to the provisions of Section 4.2, Parking and Loading, the following provisions shall
apply in the Village district. Where this section conflicts with Section 4.2, this section shall
govern:
5.17.2.1 Parking areas shall be located to the side and rear of the structure. No parking area
shall be designed such that parking is within the required or authorized front yard setback. The
Planning Board may, at its discretion, allow 25% of the total parking to be located to the front of
the structure.
5.17.2.2 Recognizing that standard parking requirements may hamper development of villagestyle
land use and development, the Planning Board is authorized to reduce the parking
requirements specified for the use/structure proposed up to 25%. In determining the appropriate
reduction, if any, the Board may give consideration to the hours of use of the proposed use,
hours of use of other uses/structures within the Village District, near-by on-street spaces, the
amount of “shared” parking with other uses, the opinions of merchants, residents and municipal
officials as to the adequacy or inadequacy of parking spaces within the specific area of the
Charlton Zoning Bylaw, 09/2012 85