Landscaping plan required.
(1) A landscaping plan demonstrating compliance with the standards contained in this section for landscaping, planting areas and screening shall accompany each application for site plan approval and building permit. The plan shall be drawn to scale and may be part of a site plan application. A landscaping plan shall not be required for a single- or two-family dwelling.
(2) The landscaping plan for any lot used or zoned for multifamily or nonresidential use shall be certified by a landscape architect registered in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
(3) The landscaping plan shall show, apart from information normally required on a site plan:
(a) A layout plan showing existing and proposed grades, the proposed landscaped area and planting areas, the existing plant materials to be retained, the proposed plant materials to be provided and the location, size and type of such plant materials and of any nonplant materials to be retained or provided.
(b) A plant schedule giving botanical and common names of plants to be used, size at time of planting and quantity of each.
(c) The methods for protecting plant materials during and after construction.
Inspection, date of completion and enforcement.
(1) The landscaping plan and plantings, as approved, shall be completed and installed according to specifications prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy for any residential or nonresidential use or building, other than for single-family houses. If the completion of the structure occurs after the planting season has passed, only a temporary certificate of occupancy may be issued until the landscaping is completed.
(2) For single-family houses the same provisions shall apply, except that, for those houses not built for profit or for the use and occupancy of the builder or developer, the landscaping shall be completed within one year after the issuance of the certificate of occupancy.
(3) If at any time after the issuance of a certificate of occupancy the landscaping of any parking or vehicular area to which this section is applicable is found to be in nonconformance, notice shall be issued to the owners that corrective action is required to be in compliance with this section and shall describe what action is necessary to comply. The owners shall have 30 days to fulfill the landscaping requirements. Failure to comply within the allotted time shall be considered a violation of this section.
(4) At the time of site plan approval, a bond may be required to ensure the satisfactory planting of required landscaping and to ensure the survival of such landscaping for up to 18 months following such planting.
