(A) Applicability. Landscaping shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of this section whenever a building or structure is erected, converted, enlarged, or structurally altered, or whenever a use of land, building, or structure is established, expanded or changed. This shall not apply to single and two-family dwellings or agricultural uses.
(B) Landscaping Plan. When landscaped areas or screens are required, a landscaping plan shall be submitted showing the elements listed below. The landscaping plan may be shown on a required site plan or may be submitted as a separate document. The landscaping plan shall be drawn to scale and shall include dimensions, property lines, locations of buildings and structures, parking areas and access drives. The landscaping plan shall also include the following:
(1) Location of trees, shrubs and ground cover to be planted;
(2) Location of any existing trees, shrubs, or ground cover that will remain to satisfy the requirements of this section;
(3) Any walls, fences or berms being erected or installed to meet the requirements of this section or § 150.068.
(C) Standards for Plant Materials. Plant materials required for landscaping or screening purposes shall be provided in accordance with the following requirements.
(1) Trees. Trees shall be divided into two categories as described below. All trees shall be a minimum of seven feet in height at planting. No trees may be planted closer together than the following: small trees - 25 feet, large trees -75 feet.
(a) Large (shade) trees. Trees that are self supporting, woody plants of species which normally grow to a height of at least 30 feet in East-Central Illinois.
(b) Small (flowering) trees. Trees that are self supporting, woody plants of species which normally grow to a height of at least 15 feet in East-Central Illinois.
(2) Shrubs. Shrubs shall be a minimum of two feet in height at planting.
(3) Ground Covers. Ground covers used in lieu of grass in whole or in part shall be planted in such a manner as to present a finished appearance and reasonably complete coverage within one year after planting.
(4) Grass. Grass may be sodded, plugged, sprigged, or seeded except that solid sod shall be used in swales or other areas subject to erosion. Grass areas shall be planted in species normally grown in East-Central Illinois.
(D) Off-street Parking Areas and Other Vehicular Use Areas. Landscaping shall be provided in and around all off-street parking areas and around all other vehicular use areas in accordance with this division.
(1) Perimeter. The perimeter of all off-street parking areas and other vehicular use areas fronting on a public street shall have a minimum setback of ten feet between the edge of the right-of-way and the edge of the parking area and a minimum setback of five feet between abutting lots and the edge of the parking area. These areas shall be maintained as landscaped bufferyards and shall be landscaped in accordance with the following provisions. Landscaping shall include one large tree for each 75 linear feet but no less than one large tree per landscaped bufferyard. Such trees shall be located in the landscaped bufferyard and shall be planted in a planting area of at least 25 square feet with a minimum dimension of five feet. The landscaped bufferyards shall also contain a minimum of six plant units of landscape material for each 75 linear feet as set forth in Table VI-3. The remainder of the landscaped areas shall be landscaped with grass, ground cover or other acceptable landscape treatment of which 70% must be live plant material. The following exceptions apply to the aforementioned:
(a) Corner lots that adjoin two public streets may reduce the size of the landscape bufferyard described above to five feet in depth on one of the frontages.
(b) Access drives from the public right-of-way through such landscaped bufferyards shall be permitted to service the parking or other vehicular use areas and such access drives may be subtracted from the linear dimension used to determine the number of large trees required.
(c) When an off-street parking area or other vehicular use area is used for commercial display purposes, the ten-foot landscaped bufferyard at the front of the property need not contain large trees or landscape material as set forth in Table VI-3. but shall be landscaped with grass, ground cover or other acceptable landscape treatment of which 70% must be live plant material.
Plant Type | # of Plant Units |
Small (Flowering) Trees | 3 |
Evergreen Shrubs | 2 |
Deciduous Shrubs | 1 |
(2) Interior. Off-street parking areas and other vehicle use areas with an interior area of at least 32,000 square feet shall provide interior landscaping in the amount of 5% of that area which is within the parking or other vehicular use area perimeter. Landscape islands shall be located at the ends of all rows of parking. For rows of parking greater than 30 spaces in length, there shall be additional islands at a rate of 1 per 20 spaces. Landscape islands shall be at least 100 square feet with a minimum interior dimension of five feet and shall be protected by a barrier curb. Each island shall contain at least one tree. Islands may be evenly spaced in between the two end islands or combined to form one large island. A combined island shall be equal in size and planting material to the total of the individual islands being combined. In no case shall there be more than 60 spaces between landscaped islands. The remainder of the landscape islands shall be landscaped with grass, ground cover or other acceptable landscape treatment of which 70% must be live plant material. The following exceptions apply to the aforementioned:
(a) A continuous planting strip between rows may be substituted for the required landscaped islands. The planting strip shall be a minimum of six feet in width and shall be protected by a barrier curb. There shall be a minimum of six plant units of landscape material for each 75 linear feet as set forth in Table VI-3.
(b) When the off-street parking area or other vehicular use area is used for commercial display purposes, trees shall not be required for interior landscaping islands.
(c) In other vehicular use areas where the strict application of this subsection will seriously limit the function of said area, the required landscaping may be located near the perimeter of the paved area including such perimeters which may be adjoining to a building on the site. Such required interior landscaping which is relocated as herein provided shall be in addition to the perimeter landscaping requirements.
(E) Exterior Building Walls. Landscaping shall be provided along any blank exterior building wall that fronts a public street in accordance with this subsection. There shall be a minimum of six plant units of landscape material for each 75 linear feet of wall as set forth in Table VI-3. This landscape material shall be installed within 20 feet of the building foundation.
(F) Other Open Areas. The portions of a property that are not paved for off-street parking areas or vehicular use areas or in the required landscaped bufferyards shall also be landscaped with grass or other approved landscape materials.
(G) Preservation of Existing Plant Materials. Existing plant material that meets the requirements of this section and which will be preserved on the subject property following completion of the development, may be counted as contributing to the landscaping requirements.
(H) Installation. All landscaping material required by this section shall be installed in accordance with an approved landscaping plan prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy for any building on the subject property.
(I) Maintenance. The continued maintenance of all required landscaping shall be the responsibility of the owner of the property on which said materials are required. All plant materials required, by this section shall be maintained as living vegetation and shall be promptly replaced if the plant material has died. Planting areas shall be kept free of trash, litter, and weeds at all times.
(Ord. 8612, passed 12-2-08)