(A) Parkway Trees
No person, unless permitted by the Village, shall:
1. Plant, treat, prune, remove or otherwise disturb any parkway tree except that normal watering and fertilizing will be permitted.
2. Place on Village property any planters or plant containers.
3. Damage, cut, tap, carve or transplant any parkway tree.
4. Attach any rope, wire, nail, sign, poster or other manmade object to any parkway tree.
(B) Tree Preservation and Removal Applicability
1. It shall be unlawful for any person to remove or cause the removal of any tree without having first obtained approval from the Village of a tree preservation and removal plan as described herein. Tree preservation and replacement requirements do not apply to the following exemptions:
(a) Removal of a tree having a diameter at breast height of less than six inches.
(b) Detached houses, duplexes, and townhouses, provided that the tree(s) are not part of an adopted or approved landscape plan.
(c) Removal of the tree is necessary due to a safety hazard to pedestrian or vehicular traffic or threatens to cause disruption of public safety.
(d) Removal of the tree is necessary to remove a tree, which poses a safety hazard to structures.
(e) Removal of the tree is necessary due to death or disease of the tree has been weakened by age, storm, fire or other injury.
(f) Removal of the tree is necessary to observe good forestry practice; i.e., the number of healthy trees a given parcel of land will support.
(g) New subdivisions consisting of two or less lots to be improved with detached houses, duplexes, or townhouses.
(h) Removal of the following species:
(1) Black locust (Robinia psueodoacacia)
(2) Box elder (Acer negundo)
(3) Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)
(4) Cottonwood (Populus deltroides)
(5) Mulberry (Morus sp.)
(6) Osage orange (Maclura pomifera)
(7) Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia)
(8) Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila)
(9) Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
(10) White willow (Salix alba)
(C) Tree preservation and removal plan required. A tree preservation and removal plan shall be required for any parcel of land involving the construction of any new principal building(s) or structure(s) or other site improvements or the removal of any parkway tree, or a tree having a diameter at breast height of six inches or greater.
(D) Tree Preservation and Removal Plan Requirements
1. A tree location survey, prepared by a licensed Illinois arborist, landscape architect, or other qualified professional is required for all areas to be developed.
(a) The tree location survey shall show all trees six inches diameter at breast height (DBH) and larger, and all parkway trees. All trees over twelve inches in DBH must be identified by size and species. In addition, all key trees (i.e., a tree classified by the arborist as significant, or those trees which are exceptionally good examples of their species) shall be identified on the tree survey. Each tree surveyed must be identified with a number on the drawing and tagged in the field. The survey must be accompanied by a listing of each tree including the tag number, species, DBH, condition, and if the tree will be removed or saved.
(b) Exemption. New subdivisions consisting of two or less lots to be improved with detached houses, duplexes, or townhouses.
2. The location of those trees to be removed, those to be preserved, and the methods which are to be used to preserve such trees during site development.
3. A written statement indicating the reason for removal of the tree(s). A report from a licensed Illinois arborist or landscape architect may be requested by the Zoning Administrator if deemed appropriate.
4. Details, specifications and/or technical information of procedures to be used to preserve and protect trees.
(E) General Tree Preservation And Removal Standards
1. Grading and construction equipment shall be forbidden from encroaching within the drip line of a tree. The drip line area is the ground area under a tree canopy from the trunk to the outermost branches.
2. Crushed limestone and other material detrimental to trees shall not be placed within the drip line of any tree nor at any higher location where drainage toward the tree could conceivably affect the health of the tree.
3. Snow fencing shall be temporarily installed at the periphery of the tree’s drip line and maintained throughout the entire project. The ground area inside of this fencing shall be protected and storage of any material in this area is prohibited.
4. Tree trunks and branches shall be protected when construction must occur within tree drip line areas.
5. No grade changes shall be allowed under the drip line of any trees designated for preservation.
6. To improve the survival rate of trees, root pruning and/or thinning shall be performed in accordance with industry standards and practices.
7. In the event that underground utility lines are proposed within ten feet of the trunk of a tree, auguring of the utility line should be considered and may be required by the Village.
(F) Tree Replacement for Non-Designated Trees
Any tree intended to be removed, or unintentionally removed or damaged during construction shall be replaced with new trees in accordance with the following schedule:
DBH (inches) | Required Replacement Trees |
6 - 12 | 4 |
13-29 | 5 |
30 or greater | 6 |
(G) Tree Replacement for Designated Trees
In the event that a tree designated for preservation is destroyed, damaged, or removed during the construction process, such tree shall be replaced with new trees in accordance with the following schedule:
DBH (inches) | Required Replacement Trees |
6 - 12 | 6 |
13-29 | 8 |
30 or greater | 10 |
(H) Tree replacement alternative. If it is impractical to plant the required number of replacement trees on the same zoning lot due to space limitations or the density of existing trees, the Village shall require the property owner to plant said tree(s) at the Village’s discretion on other public property or require a cash donation to be used for Village tree maintenance activities.
(I) Tree Replacement Standards
1. All replacement trees shall have a minimum caliper size of three inches.
2. Replacement trees shall not be tree species identified as Prohibited Trees as provided in this Chapter.
3. The landscape plan shall identify each replacement tree as a replacement tree and indicate its location, species, and size. No replacement trees shall be used to satisfy the requirements for tree planting in public rights of way, parking lots, or buffer areas. (Ord. 2021-4931, 11-15-2021; amd. Ord. 2023-5042, 12-18-2023)