Suburban Lots. Parcels of land which are created in sizes of more than thirty five (35) acres and not more than eighty one (81) acres.

Section 8. Landscaping

A. Purpose.

The purposes of these regulations are to provide for the enhancement of the county image, buffer between incompatible land uses by reducing excessive noise, air, and visual pollution, preserve the integrity of residential neighborhoods and to provide for the general health, safety, and welfare of the public by means of landscaping during community development.

B. Relationship to Other Regulations and Laws.

If other municipal, county, state and federal laws and regulations or subsequent Albany County resolutions place more restrictive standards pursuant to landscaping, those more restrictive standards under the appropriate jurisdiction will apply.

C. Affected Land Uses.

1. This section shall apply to new residential subdivisions, including mobile home parks, within the major corridors of the unincorporated areas of Albany County. The major corridors are Interstate 80 and highways 287, 230, and 130.

2. The requirements shall not apply to any completed applications filed with the Albany County Planning Office prior to the effective date of this resolution.

3. The requirements shall not apply to small subdivisions (three or less parcels).

D. Definition of Terms

1. "Berm" means an earthen mound designed to screen undesirable views and/or decrease noise levels.

2. "Buffer" means natural or man-made physical elements, such as plants, trees, fences or walls, which separate and screen land uses from one another.

3. "Caliper" means a standard for trunk measurement of nursery stock that is measured from a specified distance above the ground.

4. "Coniferous" means a plant with foliage that persists and remains green throughout the year.

5. "Deciduous" means a plant with foliage that is shed annually.

6. "Gross Floor Space" means the sum of all floor areas of a building used for human habitation or for business operations.

7. "Landscaping" means the use of organic and inorganic materials and man-made structures that present an expansion of natural and buffering scenery.

8. "Organic Landscape Materials" means living vegetative material.

9. "Shrub" means a woody plant that usually remains low and produces shoots or stems from the base and is not usually tree-like or single-stemmed.

E. Process

F. Landscape Standards.

1. These landscape standards will be the minimum requirements for compliance. However, it is encouraged that those land uses affected by this landscaping standard be implemented which exceed these minimal standards.

2. The following provisions shall be the minimum standards for the composition and positioning of landscape elements when buffering between specified land uses:

3. A mixture of organic materials is encouraged. It is also encouraged that landscaping material and design shall be produced with consideration for efficient and effective water use when and where the elements are placed and under conditions of low water levels or drought.

4. Landscaping shall be placed so as not to have an adverse effect on access to utilities, underground or overhead, or interference with vision at roadway intersections.

1. Installation and maintenance responsibility of the landscaping shall lie with the developer until such time as individual owners or a homeowner’s association assumes continuing maintenance responsibilities. Dead trees or shrubs shall be replaced by July 1 of every year with plant material, equivalent to type and size when planted.
2. Landscape features shall be kept reasonably free of refuse, noxious weeds, clippings, and miscellaneous trash. Such weeds, refuse, clippings and miscellaneous trash shall be disposed of in an appropriate and safe manner. Prohibited noxious weeds are described in Section 11-12-104 of the Wyoming Statutes.
3. Landscaping plans shall be referred to other appropriate agencies for their review and comment. Agencies, for possible referrals, include the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service, Laramie Rivers Conservation District, State Forestry Office, and the Albany county Extension Office.

Section 6. Zoning Certificate - Outdoor Signs.

A. General Requirements. The following general requirements are applicable to all signs erected subsequent to the date of adoption of this Zoning Resolution.

1. Illumination of a sign is permitted provided that no flashing lights, or rotating or revolving beams are used. and that all direct light is shielded and is directed toward the sign and away from any residential areas, and that the light source is not directly visible from and does not shine upon any adjacent publicly dedicated roadway and surrounding property, and that the light does not interfere with or distract a motorist's vision from normal safe driving. All external light fixtures illuminating a sign shall be shielded so that light is confined to the surface of the sign and is directed downward and away from public roadways and residential areas.

B. Exempt Signs. The following shall be deemed to be excluded from regulation under this Resolution.

2. Political campaign signs where the sign face shall not exceed thirty-two six (6) (32) square feet in area. Such signs must be removed within 30 days after the election they were posted for, except primary campaign signs which are to also be used for the general election. Such primary campaign signs are allowed to be in place between the elections but must be removed within 30 days after the general election.

3. Special event signs shall not exceed thirty-two six (6) (32) square feet in area that are posted for a period no longer than 30 days. Special events are those events which occur annually or less frequently than annually.

C. Off-Premise Signs. All off-premise signs shall conform to the following requirements.

2. Size and Specifications

(c) No off-premise sign shall exceed twenty five (25) feet in height, if located adjacent to Interstate-80, or sixteen (16) feet in height if located elsewhere, as measured from the centerline of the nearest roadway to the highest point of the sign.