1. Purpose. The purpose of this Section is to establish landscape requirements that will enhance the Village's character and livability, improve air quality and reduce the heat island effect, improve water quality and reduce the rainfall volume conveyed to storm sewer systems, and provide for transitions between zoning districts.
2. Applicability. The requirements of this Section apply to the following:
a. New developments that require site plan review approval.
b. Planned developments.
c. The construction of any new parking lot of ten spaces or more.
d. The expansion or reconstruction of any existing parking lot that results in a total of ten aggregate spaces or more.
e. Removal of existing trees, per the requirements of § 156.09.B Tree Preservation.
3. Certificate of Occupancy. The requirements of this Section shall be met and landscape elements shall be fully installed and be in good health and condition, as determined by the Zoning Administrator, prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
a. Seasonal Conditions. If seasonal conditions preclude the completion of landscape installation, the applicant shall provide the Village with a letter of credit, escrow, performance bond, or other surety as approved by the Zoning Administrator equal to 125% of the remaining costs of installation, as estimated by a qualified landscape architect or similar professional, in order to receive a certificate of occupancy.
b. Permit Revocation. Failure to implement the approved landscape plan or maintain installed landscape elements shall be cause for revocation of the certificate of occupancy and/or the application of fines and penalties. All landscape elements are subject to periodic inspection for compliance with the approved landscape plan.
4. Landscape Plan. A landscape plan shall be submitted to the Village as part of any site improvement that meets the criteria of § 156.09.A.2 (Applicability), and shall be approved by the Zoning Administrator. The landscape plan shall be evaluated and approved based on the standards included in this Section 156.09 (Landscape Standards).
a. Licensed Landscape Architect. The landscape plan shall be prepared and stamped by a licensed landscape architect registered in the State of Illinois if the project meets the criteria of § 156.09.A.2 (Applicability).
b. Contents. The landscape plan shall contain the following:
(1) Location and dimensions of all existing and proposed structures, parking stalls, landscape islands, buffer yards, street lights, utilities, easements, and other site elements.
(2) Location( quantity, size, spacing, and name, both botanical and common, of all existing plant material, including trees and plant material in the right-of-way. The landscape plan shall indicate whether existing plant material will be retained or removed (refer to § 156.09.B (Tree Preservation)).
(3) Location, quantity, size, spacing, and name, both botanical and common, of all proposed plant material including the type of tree stock, such as balled and burlapped, containerized or bare root.
(4) Planting details for all plantings and BMPs, including type, depth and quantity of soil.
(5) Existing and proposed grading of the site indicating contours at one-foot intervals.
(6) Elevations of all fences and retaining walls proposed for the site.
(7) Location of snow storage areas.
(8) Information and specifications on how existing trees will be preserved and protected during site disturbance.
(9) Construction information, including temporary roads, construction equipment points of access, location of staging areas, material storage, and other related activities.
c. Operations and Maintenance Plan. Maintenance of all elements of a landscape plan located on private property shall be the responsibility of the property owner. Prior to approval of a landscape plan, an Operations and Maintenance Plan including detail on the maintenance procedures to ensure ongoing compliance with this Section must be signed by the owner and submitted to the Village.
5. Credit for Existing Vegetation. The Zoning Administrator may credit existing vegetation toward the required buffer area, tree canopy coverage area, and/or landscape element requirements, provided that the existing vegetation is in good health, an acceptable species, is adequately protected during the construction process, and meets all applicable specifications of this Section.