A. Natural Landscape Plan:
1. Conditions: A landowner wishing to maintain property in a natural state may be exempted from the requirements of subsection 10.41L4 of this chapter, providing the following conditions are met:
a. No part of the property exempted shall be within any platted street or alley;
b. The landowner shall control noxious weeds on the property as required by Minnesota statutes;
c. The property shall be maintained according to a natural landscape plan approved by the city.
2. Stay Of Notice To Eradicate: If no natural landscape plan has been approved by the city prior to service of a notice to eradicate, eradication shall be stayed if a natural landscape plan is presented to the city for approval prior to eradication.
3. Criteria: In approving a natural landscape plan, the city shall consider the following criteria: statement of intent and purpose for the natural area; description of the vegetation types, plants and plant succession; management and maintenance techniques employed; the character and nature of the surrounding area; use of native plants; maintenance of wildlife habitat.
4. Revocation: Notwithstanding approval of a natural landscape plan, the city may order mowing of the area subject to the plan upon a determination that the area is a hazard to the health, safety and welfare of the residents. The city may revoke a natural landscape plan upon a finding that the terms of the plan have not been complied with, or that it has failed to achieve its purpose.
5. Recommended Trees, Shrubs: The following trees and shrubs are recommended for meeting the requirements of natural landscape plans:
a. Coniferous trees: American larch (tamarack); black spruce; eastern white pine; white spruce; balsam fir; northern cedar (arborvitae); Norway red pine; eastern red cedar;
b. Deciduous trees: red oak; red maple; paper birch; pagoda dogwood; butternut; eastern cottonwood; bur oak; sugar maple; blue beech; white ash; tamarack; bigtooth aspen; green ash; yellow birch; hackberry; black ash; ironwood; basswood;
c. Evergreen shrubs: common juniper;
d. Deciduous shrubs: dull leaf indigo bush; round leafed dogwood; American hazelnut; common winterberry; pussy willow; American cranberry bush; common chokecherry; red twigged dogwood; black chokecherry; smooth sumac; coyote willow; red berried elder; American plum; gray dogwood; beaked hazel; leatherwood; staghorn sumac; American elder; nannyberry; pin cherry;
e. Planting for wildlife habitat: spruce or fir rather than pine; mixture of red, white and bur oaks; fruit and nut bearing plants; native species rather than exotics or ornamental cultivars; warm season grasses (prairie species) rather than cool season grasses (brome and bluegrass);
f. For year round food supply for wildlife: highbush cranberry; red osier dogwood; gray dogwood; wild plum; juneberry; mountain ash; crabapple; chokecherry; staghorn sumac. (Ord. 60, 6th Series, eff. 7-21-2014; amd. Ord. 74, 6th Series, eff. 5-4-2015)