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Whenever any public tree, shrub or other plant material has been damaged or killed and a fine has been recovered therefor under the provisions of this chapter, or where the amount of such damage has been ascertained and the settlement of such claim has been authorized, such fine or the amount so paid in settlement, or any necessary part thereof, when transferred to the city comptroller, may in the discretion of the commissioner of streets and sanitation be used for the purpose of defraying all necessary expenses incurred in and by the removal of such tree, shrub or other plant material and in replacing the same by a living tree, shrub or other plant material; provided, that the city council, from year to year, shall appropriate according to law an amount equal to the fines collected and sums of money paid in satisfaction of damages to trees, shrubs or other plant materials, as aforesaid, for such purposes.
(Prior code § 32-21)
Any person required to plant parkway trees pursuant to the provisions of Section 17-11-0100 of the City's Zoning Code shall do so in compliance with the following conditions:
(1) Each parkway tree shall have a minimum caliper of two and one-half inches or a minimum of four inches within the Central Area (an area bounded by North Avenue; Lake Michigan; Cermak Road; and Ashland Avenue) as measured at a point six inches above grade level and shall be balled and burlapped. Curbs and low railings shall be installed around parkway planters (i.e. a raised planting area constructed to contain soils, plants and trees) within the Central Area for the purpose of protecting landscaped areas from heavy pedestrian traffic consistent with recommendations in the Guide to the Chicago Landscape Ordinance.
Where the deputy commissioner of the bureau of forestry determines it is not feasible to install parkway trees due to inadequate sidewalk widths or other limiting conditions, he/she may require the installation of sidewalk planters of a size and type described in the Guide to the Chicago Landscape Ordinance. The sidewalk planters installed in lieu of parkway trees shall be provided in an amount equal to no less than two square feet of planter area per linear foot of lot area as measured at the front lot line or the front and side lot lines on corner lots.
(2) The number of parkway trees installed shall not be less than one tree for each 25 lineal feet of property frontage, or any fraction thereof greater than one-half, along all parkways contiguous to such property. The type, size and location of such trees shall be subject to the rules and regulations promulgated by the deputy commissioner;
(3) Any existing parkway tree of two and one- half inch caliper or more located within the parkway contiguous to such property which is preserved may be counted toward satisfaction of the requirements of this section; and
(4) Every parkway tree shall be planted in conformance with the provisions of any regulations issued regarding the use of the public way including, without limitation, the "Manual of Tree Planting Standards", as it may be amended from time to time.
(5) All parkway trees shall be installed and maintained in compliance with the following requirements: 1) tree grates shall be required where trees are planted in sidewalk openings; 2) black lava rock mulch shall be required in trees pits below trees grates and shall be installed to a level flush with the bottom of the tree grate; 3) curbs and low railings to protect plantings shall be required on busy pedestrian retail and commercial streets within the Central Area (an area bounded by North Avenue; Lake Michigan; Cermak Road; and Ashland Avenue) consistent with recommendations in the Guide to the Chicago Landscape Ordinance.
The soil volume and composition for required parkway trees or planters shall meet the following requirements: 1) soils shall have a three-foot minimum depth; 2) planting areas shall have a minimum of 24 square feet of surface area with no dimension less than three feet; 3) soil composition (soil types, acidity and organic content) and soil percolation rates shall follow the recommendations of the Guide to the Chicago Landscape Ordinance. The deputy commissioner may require the addition of structural soil below sidewalk slabs in order to permit root growth beyond a small pit or sidewalk cut in those circumstances where the new construction involves the replacement of existing sidewalks.
(Added Coun. J. 2-6-91, p. 30591; Amend Coun. J. 7-21-99, p. 9425; Amend Coun. J. 10-27-21, p. 39525, § 13)
In connection with the installation of parkway trees required to be installed pursuant to the provisions of Section 194A-5.13* of the city's zoning code, the deputy commissioner shall (1) review the plans and specifications submitted to the zoning administrator for such trees and thereafter make a recommendation to the zoning administrator regarding conformance of such plans and specifications with the provisions of this chapter; and (2) inspect such parkway trees following installation and thereafter make a recommendation to the zoning administrator regarding conformance of the installation of such parkway trees with the approved plans and specifications.
(Added Coun. J. 2-6-91, p. 30591)
* Editor's note – For current Zoning Code provisions, see § 17-11-0100.
(a) Establishment, membership, organization. There is hereby established the Urban Forestry Advisory Board. The board shall consist of 13 members. The following, or their designees who are members of their office or department, shall serve ex officio as members: Chief Sustainability Officer, or successor position; Chair of the Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy, or its successor; General Superintendent and Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Park District; Deputy Commissioner for Forestry, Department of Streets and Sanitation; Commissioner of the Department of Transportation; Commissioner of the Department of Water Management; Commissioner of the Department of Planning and Development. Subject to approval by the City Council, the Mayor shall appoint representatives from two nongovernmental organizations that participate in the Chicago Region Trees Initiative; a nongovernmental community organization; two tree service businesses or contractors; and the academic arborist community. The Mayor shall designate a chairperson and vice-chairperson.
Members shall not be compensated for their service on the board. The six nongovernmental appointees shall be appointed and hold office as follows: three to be appointed for two years and three to be appointed for four years and until their successors are appointed and qualified. Members thereafter appointed shall serve for four years, except that in case of vacancy appointments shall be made for the unexpired term. The terms of members from governmental entities shall coincide with their terms of public service.
The board shall meet at least quarterly. Additional meetings may be called by a majority of the board. A majority of members of the board shall constitute a quorum.
(b) Powers and duties. The board shall have the following powers and duties:
(1) Develop and annually update the Urban Forestry Management Plan containing analysis and recommendations to be delivered to the Mayor and City Council;
(2) Review, assess, and advise on City plans, policies, procedures, guidance documents, and expenditures, as well as other issues identified and determined by the board to be important to urban forestry;
(3) Recommend to the City Council legislation regarding urban forestry;
(4) Facilitate public education of urban forestry;
(5) Establish a Heritage Tree program.
(Added Coun. J. 6-25-21, p. 31515, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 12-16-24, p. 22879, Art. V, § 5)
Should any section, clause or provision of this chapter be declared by any court to be invalid, the same shall not affect the validity of the chapter as a whole or part thereof, other than the part so declared to be invalid. To this end the provisions of this chapter are declared to be severable.
(Prior code § 32-22; Amend Coun. J. 2-6-91, p. 30591; Amend Coun. J. 11-7-22, p. 54984, § 9)