(a) General Requirements. Landscaping shall be required as follows. The minimum landscaped area shall not be less than 20% of the total land area. The area required to be landscaped shall be planted within 60 days from the date of the issuance of a certificate of occupancy (weather permitting), and thereafter reasonably maintained with permanent plantings and materials. A bond is required to be posted with the village to ensure the compliance with the approved landscaping plan. The bond shall be in the amount of 100% of the value of the landscaping plan. Any trees identified to be removed from within the right-of-way shall be identified, and approval by the Village Council shall be obtained before any removal is to begin. Plantings within the right-of-way shall be approved by the Village Council and shall be in accordance with the current Tree Planting Plan. A bond for all planting within the right-of-way shall be posted with Administrator. This bond shall be equal to 100% of the value of the planting and shall be released after a one-year maintenance period.
(b) Site Planting Requirements.
(1) The unpaved or unimproved portions of the required front yards, side yards, rear yards and other open spaces of the site not in a natural wooded state or in which the natural state has been disturbed by grading or filling, shall be landscaped with sod, grass or other horticultural materials.
(2) A landscaped buffer shall be maintained in all perimeter setbacks, as follows:
A. Perimeter street setbacks. A minimum landscaped buffer of 25 feet. This buffer shall include trees and shrubs that are the same or of similar species as those used on the remainder of the site.
B. Perimeter side and rear setbacks. A minimum landscaped buffer of 15 feet. When the site area abuts a residential district, the minimum landscaped buffer shall be 25 feet.
C. Screening of parking, loading, trash disposal and truck maneuvering areas. A land-scaped berm, masonry wall or massed plantings shall be provided of sufficient height to screen the view of loading and truck maneuvering activity and buffer parking areas from adjoining public access roads or properties. Trash and/or garbage collection areas shall be enclosed on at least three sides by a solid wall or fence of six feet in height if such area is not within an enclosed building or structure.
(3) Internal circulation roads shall be landscaped with street trees and streetside plasters. A minimum five feet in width shall be landscaped adjoining the right-of-way of any such street or road.
(4) Landscaped islands shall be integrated into the parking areas to visually break up large expanses of paving and provide shading.
(5) Outdoor eating and recreation areas for employees may be included in the required landscaped area but shall be screened from adjoining residential districts.
(Ord. 2393, passed 1-23-02)