A. Private Naturally Landscaped Lot Defined: A "private naturally landscaped lot" is a privately owned lot which is naturally landscaped so as to exhibit the deliberate and conscious decision to plant, cultivate and maintain those native or naturally occurring species identified as wildflower and prairie grasses in commonly accepted publications including, "Plants Of The Chicago Region" by Floyd Swink and Gerold Wilhelm (1974), "Wildflowers On The Tallgrass Prairie, The Upper Midwest" by Sylvan T. Runkel and Dean M. Roosa (1989), "Field Guide To North American Wildflowers, Eastern Region" by the Audubon Society (1979) and "Native Illinois Herbs And Forbs" by Illinois department of conservation.
B. Permit Required: No person shall own or maintain a private naturally landscaped lot without first securing a natural landscaping permit from the community development department. Permit applications shall include a site plan drawn to scale on a plat of survey, which contains the permanent index number of the property, the location of the property lines, location of the plant materials, list of plant materials by common name, north arrow, location of structures, fences and paved areas and all setbacks of plant materials.
C. Compliance With Permit: Compliance with the terms of this section shall be a condition of any natural landscaping permit. Permits may be amended with the approval of the community development department.
D. Term: The term of natural landscaping permits shall be perpetual, unless terminated. The permit shall run with the land and be binding upon and ensure to the benefit of the owner and its successors in title. Permits shall not be required annually after the first issuance unless a change is to be made.
E. Annual Cutting: Natural landscaping on private lots shall be mowed or cut to eighteen inches (18") or less at least once prior to June 1 of each calendar year.
F. Setbacks: Natural landscaping on private lots shall not be located in the front yard. A corner side yard shall have a two foot (2') minimum setback. Rear yards and side yards shall have a two foot (2') setback except where abutted by other naturally landscaped yards.
G. Enforcement: If an owner or one in control of a plot of ground used as a naturally landscaped lot violates any part of this section, the abatement procedure set forth in this chapter shall be enforced. (Ord. 2013-36, 6-20-2013)