17-11-0100 Parkway trees.

   17-11-0101 Applicability. The standards of this section (17-11-0100) apply to all of the following, except as expressly exempted under Sec. 17-11-0102:

      17-11-0101-A construction of any principal building;

      17-11-0101-B any addition to or enlargement of an existing principal building when the addition or enlargement exceeds 1,500 square feet of gross floor area;

      17-11-0101-C any existing vehicular use area that is accessory to an existing principal building if such building or any portion thereof is repaired or rehabilitated (including interior alteration and remodeling) and the cost of such repair or rehabilitation exceeds 150% of the property's assessed value or $10,000, whichever is greater;

      17-11-0101-D construction or installation of any surface parking area containing more than 4 parking spaces; and

      17-11-0101-E repair, rehabilitation or expansion of any existing surface parking area containing more than 4 parking spaces, if such repair, rehabilitation or expansion would increase the number of existing parking spaces by more than 25% or 4 spaces, whichever is less.

   17-11-0102 Exemptions. The standards of this section do not apply to:

      17-11-0102-A restoration of any building or portion thereof damaged by fire, explosion, flood, casualty or other calamity of any kind;

      17-11-0102-B construction, repair or rehabilitation of any accessory buildings or structures; and

      17-11-0102-C construction, repair or rehabilitation of or upon any detached house, two-flat or three-flat (multi-unit building containing only 3 dwelling units) unless such improvements were approved subject to a zoning map amendment, pursuant to Section 17-13-0300, a variation granted by the Zoning Board of Appeals, pursuant to Section 17-13-1100, or an administrative adjustment granted by the Zoning Administrator, pursuant to Section 17-13-1000.

   17-11-0103 Standards.

      17-11-0103-A Anyone undertaking or allowing the construction upon, improvement to, or use of any property that is subject to this section, must install and maintain parkway trees within that portion of the public parkway contiguous to the zoning lot in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 10-32 of the Municipal Code and the following requirements:

         1.   One parkway tree is required per 25 linear feet of street frontage.

         2.   Parkway trees must have a minimum caliper size of 4 inches within the Central Area and 2.5 inches outside the Central Area.

         3.   Tree grates are required when trees are planted in sidewalk openings.

         4.   Curbs and low railings to protect plantings are required on busy pedestrian retail and commercial streets within the Central Area consistent with recommendations in the Guide to the Chicago Landscape Ordinance. For the purpose of this provision "Central Area" means the area bounded by North Avenue; Lake Michigan; Cermak Road; and Ashland Avenue.

      17-11-0103-B Parkway trees are not required to be installed or maintained in the following locations:

         1.   above an area containing soil of a depth of less than 6 feet, not including sidewalk pavement;

         2.   below or within 50 feet of an elevated rail structure; or

         3.   any areas determined by the Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Forestry to be unsuitable or unsafe for parkway trees.

      17-11-0103-C When parkway trees are not required pursuant to Sec. 17-11-0103-B, the Zoning Administrator must require alternative landscape treatments, in accordance with Sec. 17-11-0603.

      17-11-0103-D Reserved.

(Added Coun. J. 5-26-04, p. 25275; Amend Coun. J. 12-15-21, p. 42674, §§ 6, 7)