(a) Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to encourage the use of vegetation throughout the City to maximize ecological and aesthetic benefits while respecting existing community values regarding landscaping to include well-maintained yards, preservation of sight lines, compatibility with existing structures, and public safety. Ecological benefits of “managed natural landscapes” include enhancement of pollinator support habitat, stormwater management, carbon sequestration, and preservation of biodiversity.
(b) Definitions.
(1) “Managed natural landscape” means a planned, intentional, and maintained planting of native or non-native grasses, wildflowers, ferns, sedges, shrubs, or trees, including but not limited to rain gardens, meadow vegetation, and ornamental plants.
(2) “Rain garden” means planting designed not only to aesthetically improve an area, but also to reduce the amount of stormwater and accompanying pollutants from entering the watershed.
(3) “Meadow vegetation” means herbaceous (non-woody) vegetation of grasses and flowering broad-leaf plants that are commonly found in meadow and prairie plant communities, excluding noxious weeds.
(4) “Noxious weed” means any plant that has been identified as being harmful to the local natural environment and included in the list promulgated by the City Manager or his or her designee; or as listed in Sections 901:5-30 or 901:5-37 of the Ohio Administrative Code, same being incorporated herein by reference.
(5) “Ornamental plant” means grasses, perennials, annuals, and groundcovers purposefully planted for aesthetic reasons.
(6) “Turf-grass lawn” means a lawn comprised mostly of grasses commonly used in regularly cut lawns, intended to be maintained at a height of no more than five (5) inches.
(Ord. 20-40AC CMS. Passed 10-19-20.)