(a) “Landscaping” means the treatment of the ground, roof and parking lot surfaces with live plant materials such as, but not limited to, turf grass (i.e., lawns), ground covers, trees, shrubs, and other live plant material. In addition, a landscape design may include other decorative natural materials, as well as various types of mulch. Structural features such as fountains, pools, statues and benches shall also be considered a part of landscaping if provided in combination with live plant material. The following are applicable definitions related to landscaping:
(1) “Buffer zone” means a strip of land required between certain zoning districts reserved for plant material, berms, walls or fencing singularly or in combination to serve as a visual and noise barrier.
(2) “Caliper” means the diameter of a tree trunk in inches measured at diameter breast height (dbh) (i.e., four and one-half (4½) feet above the existing grade).
(3) “Deciduous” means a tree or shrub that sheds its foliage at the end of the growing season.
(4) “Drip line” means an imaginary vertical line that extends downward from the outermost tips of tree or shrub branches to the ground.
(5) “Evergreen” means a tree or shrub with persistent foliage (i.e., needles or broadleaves) that remains green throughout the year.
(6) “Greenbelt” means the land abutting a public street, private street or access drive that shall be reserved as a landscaped area to serve as an obscuring screen, noise abatement and visual enhancement along roadway corridors in accordance with this Chapter.
(7) “Ground covers” mean low-growing plants, including various types of:
A. Woody plants and vines (e.g., myrtle, pachysandra, ivy) planted to become dense after one (1) complete growing season and prevent weeds and soil erosion;
B. Perennials (i.e., flowers, herbs, ornamental grasses and other plants) which die back at the end of each growing season and regenerate at the beginning of the next growing season (including bulbs), planted to become dense after one (1) complete growing season and prevent weeds and soil erosion.
C. Annuals (i.e., flowers, herbs, ornamental grasses and other plants) which die at the end of each growing season in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6a, planted at sufficient density to prevent weeds and soil erosion.
(8) “Landscape features” mean various manmade items typically found in the landscape including, but not limited to, outdoor furniture (e.g., benches, tables, and chairs, etc.), statuary, and birdbaths.
(9) “Mulch” means processed pervious organic (e.g., shredded bark, wood chips, etc.) and inorganic (e.g., pea gravel, larger stones and rocks, etc.) materials utilized in planting areas to prevent weeds and soil erosion and retain soil moisture.
(10) “Plant schedule” means a listing of the plants proposed as part of a landscape design which is keyed to the landscape plan as includes the following information: quantity (i.e., number of plants), common name, botanical name (i.e., genus, species, and variety (if applicable)) type (as defined in this chapter), size (at time of installation), and root ball (i.e., ball and burlap (B&B), bare root, or container). Please see the plant schedule example.
Plant Schedule Example
Key | Quant. | Common Name | Botanical Name | Type of Plant | Size | Root Ball |
AE | 4 | Celebration® Maple | Acer x freemanii 'Celzam' | Canopy Tree | 3-in Cal | B&B |
CF | 1 | Flowering Dogwood | Gorans florida | Ornamental Tree | 8-ft height | B&B |
EA | 5 | Dwarf Burning Bush | Euonymiis alatus 'Compacta' | Large Deciduous Shrub | 3-ft height | Container |
SJ | 9 | Little Princess Spirea | Spiraea japoniea 'Little Princess' | Small Deciduous Shrub | 2-ft height | Container |
CO | 3 | Hinoki Femspray Cypress | Cliamaecyparis obtusa 'Filicoides' | Upright Evergreen Shrub | 2-ft height | Container |
TD | 5 | Densi Yew | Taxus densiformis 'Densi' | Spreading Evergreen Shrub | 3-ft spread | Container |
HH | 80 | Baltic Ivy | Hedera helix 'Baltica' | Ground Cover | N/A | Container |
(11) “Shrub” means a deciduous or evergreen plant which at maturity is less than thirteen (13) feet in height with multiple stems and having a general bushy appearance or maintained as a hedge.
A. Small means a mature (or maintained) height of thirty (30) inches or less.
B. Large means a mature height between thirty (30) inches and thirteen (13) feet.
C. Upright form means taller than its width at maturity.
D. Spreading form means shorter than its width at maturity.
(12) “Tree” means a woody plant which at maturity is thirteen (13) feet or more in height with a perennial trunk and having a definite crown of foliage.
A. Canopy tree means a deciduous tree which has a height of twenty-five (25) feet or more and a single trunk with at least five (5) feet of clear stem at maturity.
B. Ornamental tree means a deciduous or evergreen tree that is typically grown because of its shape, flowering characteristics or other attractive features (e.g., exfoliating bark, multiple-stems, fruit, etc.) and typically grows to a mature height of twenty-five (25) feet or less.
(13) “Turf grass” means any family of plants with narrow leaves normally grown as permanent lawns (i.e., turf) in northwest Ohio.
(Ord. 093-2020. Passed 7-6-20.)