(A) Plan required. Landscaping shall be included with any site plan or plot plan application reviewed by the village. A separate landscape plan shall be submitted at a minimum scale of one inch equals 40 feet. The landscape plan shall clearly describe the location, type, size, and spacing of all plant materials. It shall also include planting details and specifications clearly describing planting technique, material installation, planting mixtures, mulch, material depth, seed blends, and other necessary information.
(B) Installation and inspection.
(1) Wherever this chapter requires landscaping or plant materials, it shall be planted within six months from the date of issuance of a certificate of occupancy and shall thereafter be reasonably maintained with permanent plant materials which may be supplemented with other plantings. The Administrative Official may require a performance guarantee to cover the cost of landscaping prior to issuing a certificate of occupancy.
(2) (a) Landscaping shall be installed in a sound manner according to generally accepted planting procedures with the quality of plant materials as hereinafter described.
(b) Landscaped areas shall be protected from vehicular encroachment by use of curbing.
(c) Landscaped areas shall be elevated above the pavement to a minimum height of eight inches to protect plant materials from snow removal operations, salt, and other hazards.
(d) If building or paving construction is completed in an off-planting season, a temporary certificate of occupancy may be issued only after the owner provides a performance bond to ensure installation of required landscaping in the next planting season.
(3) An inspection of plant materials will be conducted by the Administrative Official within three months of written notification of installation to release the performance guarantee.
(C) Plant material standards.
(1) It is the intent of this subchapter that an interesting and thoughtful mixture of plantings shall be provided. Therefore, all required landscaping shall comply with the following minimum plant material standards, unless otherwise specified within this subchapter.
(2) These standards may be varied by the Planning Commission and/or Zoning Commission, as required, when these established minimums will not serve the purpose and intent of this subchapter.
(1) Plant quality. Plant materials permitted in required landscaped areas shall be nursery grown, hardy to the climate of southeast Michigan, long lived, resistant to disease and insect attack, and shall have orderly growth characteristics.
(2) Plant size specifications.
(a) Trees. Required trees shall be of the following sizes at the time of planting, unless otherwise stated in this subchapter.
1. Deciduous trees. Two and one-half-inch caliper minimum trunk measurement at four feet off the ground, with a minimum eight feet in height above grade when planted.
2. Evergreen trees. Eight feet in height, with a minimum spread of three feet and the size of the burlapped root ball shall be at least ten times the caliper of the tree measured six inches above grade.
3. Deciduous ornamental trees. One-inch caliper minimum at three feet off the ground, with a minimum height of six feet above grade when planted.
(b) Shrubs. Minimum 24 inches in height above planting grade;
(c) Hedges. Planted in such a manner as to form a continuous unbroken visual screen within two years after planting;
(d) Vines. Minimum of 30 inches in length after one growing season;
(e) Ground cover. Planted in such a manner as to present a finished appearance and reasonably complete coverage after one complete growing season;
(f) Grass.
1. Planted in species normally grown as permanent lawns in the county.
2. Grass may be plugged, sprigged, seeded, or sodded, except that rolled sod, erosion reducing net, or suitable mulch shall be used in swales or other areas subject to erosion.
3. Grass, sod, and seed shall be clean and free of weeds, noxious pests, and disease; and
(g) Mulch material. Minimum of six inches deep for planted trees, shrubs, and vines, and shall be installed in a manner as to present a finished appearance.
(3) Approved plant species. Unless otherwise provided herein, or specifically permitted by the Planning Commission and/or Zoning Commission, as required, all required plant materials shall be of the following species:
(a) Deciduous trees. Hard Maple, Oak, Beech, Ash, Ginko, Bradford Pear, or Linden, Honey Locusts;
(b) Evergreen trees. Fir, Spruce, Pine, or Hemlock;
(c) Deciduous ornamental trees. Amur Maple, Dogwood, Redbud, Magnolia, Hicks Yew, Pfitzer Juniper, Ornamental Cherry, or Viburnum, Flowering Crabapple;
(d) Shrubs. Honeysuckle, Lilac, Cotoneaster, Forsythia, Euonymus, Hydrangea, Privet, Alpine Currant, Barberry, Flowering Quince, Spreading Yews, Juniper, Burning Bush, Spiraea, or Mugo Pine, Bayberry; and
(e) Ground cover. Pachysandra, Spreading Juniper, Wintercreeper, Periwinkle, or English Ivy.
(4) Prohibited plant materials. The following plant materials shall not be used for landscaping purposes under any circumstances because of susceptibility to storm damage, disease, or other undesirable characteristics: Box Elder; Silver Maples; American Elm; Horse Chestnut; Poplar; Aspen; Ailanthus; Catalpa; or European Barberry.
(Ord. 259, passed 10-24-1995; Ord. passed 2-1-2012) Penalty, see § 157.999