27 CAR § 132-1005 – Decorative community gateway landscaping

(a)
1. (1) The preferred option for gateway landscaping is for the municipality to find a location which is outside of the Arkansas Department of Transportation highway right-of-way.
2. (2) If this is not practical, gateway landscaping may be allowed on noncontrolled access highway facilities and on certain partially controlled access highways, provided that they abide by the conditions set forth in this subpart.
3. (3) Gateway landscaping shall not be installed on fully controlled access highways such as interstates and freeways.
(b)
1. (1) The department is responsible for the control of vegetation growing along its highways for highway safety and operation reasons as well as for aesthetic reasons.
2. (2) Vegetation management is necessary:
  1. (A) To maintain the visibility of highway signage;
  2. (B) For adequate sight distance and safety clear zones;
  3. (C) To keep drainage ways flowing; and
  4. (D) For maintaining the visual appearance of the highway corridor.
(c) Focus should be on long-term management with minimal impact on human health and the environment through the use of cultural, physical, biological, or chemical methods to achieve established vegetation management objectives.
(d) The applicant shall work with the appropriate department personnel in order to ensure that any landscaping project located in the highway right-of-way meets departmental policies (see Appendix A – Non-Native Invasive Plants), plus any other state or federal beautification and environmental policies.
(e) Size.
1. (1) When gateway landscaping is used to supplement a gateway sign, the landscaping should not occupy an area footprint larger than one hundred forty-four square feet (144 ft²).
2. (2) When the landscaping imparts a message, e.g., “WELCOME” or the name of a municipality, then the gateway landscaping should not exceed a footprint of more than five hundred square feet (500 ft²).
(f) Roadside obstacles and fixed objects.
1. (1) Gateway landscaping should consist of crashworthy objects, preferably organic matter such as:
  1. (A) Flowers or other herbaceous plants;
  2. (B) Low-growing shrubbery; and
  3. (C) Mulching material.
2. (2) Obstacles or fixed objects, including walls, boulders, trees, or other vegetation that will mature to over four inches (4”) in diameter, signs, buildings, etc., shall not be allowed unprotected within the clear zone.
3. (3) Planting of trees or other vegetation that will mature to exceed four inches (4”) in diameter may be considered only when they will be located outside the established clear zone or protected by a preexisting guard rail system.
(g)
1. (1) As each site along the roadside has individual characteristics, all proposed plant material locations and species shall be reviewed and approved by the District Engineer in consultation with the Environmental Division.
2. (2) Potential historic features such as walls, fences, sidewalks, markers, monuments, or landscaping associated with an historic property/district shall not be removed without prior approval from the District Engineer.
(h) Removal. All decorative community landscape plantings should be capable of being readily removed as determined by the District Engineer.