The following words, terms, and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning.
(1) "Alter; alters; alteration." Any act which causes or may reasonably be expected to cause a tree to die, including but not limited to, any of the following: uprooting any portion of the tree's root system; severing the main trunk of the tree; inflicting damage upon the tree's root system by machinery, storage of materials, or the compaction of soil above the root system of a tree; changing the natural grade of the drip lines of a tree or uphill from the drip lines of the tree so as to divert the flow of water to or away from the drip lines; applying herbicidal or other lethal chemicals to the tree or any portion of the drip line of the tree; placement of impermeable material over any portion of the critical root system of a tree; and trenching within the drip line. A protected tree shall be considered to be altered if one or more of the following occurs: more than twenty-five percent of the drip line is adversely affected, more than twenty-five percent of its canopy is removed, or the tree is disfigured to the extent a reasonable person would conclude the tree will not survive.
(2) "Approved species list." Appendix A of the UFMP that lists approved tree species.
(3) "DBH (diameter at breast height)." The diameter of a tree trunk, or, in the case of a multi-trunk tree, the total of the diameter of the largest trunk and one-half of the diameter of each additional trunk, measured at a height of four and one-half feet above the ground.
(4) "Development." Any activity for which a concept plan, site plan, preliminary plat, final plat or plat revision is required under the ordinances of the Village.
(5) "Drip line." The area of the critical root zone of a given tree defined by whichever of the following encompasses the greatest area: (1) the irregular shape formed around a tree by a series of vertical lines that run through the outermost portion of the canopy of the tree and extend to the ground, or (2) a circular area with a radius of one-half the height of the tree extending outward from the center point of the tree.
(6) "Existing tree cover." The sum total area located beneath the drip line of all protected trees on a given site at the time of application, as measured by Standard of Care practices.
(7) "Heavily wooded area." An area of continuous wooded vegetation where trees are at a density of at least one protected tree per 325 square feet of land, where the branches and leaves form a continuous canopy, and which consists of at least five trees.
(8) "Selective thinning." The process by which non-contiguous protected trees are identified and removed within a heavily wooded area to provide the maximum benefit to the remaining protected trees.
(9) "Tree." Any self-supporting woody perennial plant which will normally attain a trunk diameter of two inches or more when measured at a point four and one-half feet above ground level and an overall height of at least fifteen feet at maturity.
(10) "Tree, diseased, infected or damaged." A tree that is:
A. Infected with a disease or a parasite making it reasonably likely that the tree will either die within three years or pose a significant threat of infecting other trees of the same or similar species;
B. Damaged, in whole or part, to such an extent that either the tree is reasonably likely to die within three years; or
C. Hazardous, in whole or part, to such an extent that it presents a significant danger to the general public.
(11) "Tree, public." Trees located on all municipal and public domain property, including public street rights-of-way, Village-owned parks and Village-owned properties.
(12) "Tree, protected." Any tree that has a DBH of at least ten inches unless otherwise outlined in the UFMP.
(13) "Tree conservation analysis (TCA)." A preliminary analysis that shows the general site design direction of a development-related application.
(14) "Tree conservation plan (TCP)." A plan that illustrates, in detail, the impact of a development-related application including the impact of buildings, parking areas, streets and all other infrastructure on all environmental features of the site including protected trees, public trees and other critical resources.
(15) "Tree permit." The official authorization by the Village required to alter any protected tree not exempted by this chapter.
(16) "Tree survey." A plan drawing performed by a qualified individual, as determined by the Administrative Official, that details the size, species and condition of each protected tree or public tree on a given site.
(Ord. 1787. Passed 6-27-22.)