A. Tree Preservation: (See chapter 12 of this title.)
1. The location and type of all trees larger than four inches (4") in diameter measured two feet (2') above the ground shall be noted on the grading plan. Trees to be saved, transplanted, or moved shall be shown either directly on the grading plan or on an overlay. The village engineer may require changes to the grading plan or to the preliminary plans if, in his or her opinion, an essentially equivalent scheme employing tree walls or other such modifications may save desirable existing trees or other features.
2. The intent of this provision is to avoid the unthinking clearing of a site simply to make it easier to install other improvements. The intent of this provision is also to conserve as much of the rural or wooded atmosphere of the village as possible.
3. Trees to be preserved shall be determined upon the recommendation of the village planner based upon tree size, tree species, extent of existing tree mass, benefit to proposed development (i.e., screening/buffering undesirable views), and visual quality benefit to the village.
4. Trees to be saved that are badly damaged or destroyed by construction activities shall be replaced by three inch (3") diameter minimum trees on an inch for inch basis upon recommendation of the village planner and approval by the plan commission.
B. Site Landscaping: All parkways and front yards within the dedicated street area, drainage easement, or other public common use areas shall be graded, sodded, and planted in accordance with the village zoning ordinance, this title, or as directed and approved by the village board.
After lot areas have been graded in accordance with the grading plan, the ground surface shall be temporarily seeded or planted with ground cover to control erosion.
C. Landscaping Plans: A landscape plan, prepared by a qualified landscape architect, shall be submitted with all applications for site plan review. The plan shall be subject to review and recommendation of approval by the village planner.
1. All areas of the site, which are not paved, shall be landscaped with trees, shrubs, ground cover, and flowers to:
a. Slow surface water runoff;
b. Restrict blowing trash and litter;
c. Deter improper access or site use by the public;
d. Improve the visual quality of the site.
2. The landscape plan shall include identification of species, size, and location of plant materials and all other landscape treatments including, but not limited to:
a. Berms;
b. Fences;
c. Ground covers;
d. Ornamental or accent lighting;
e. Paving materials;
f. Limits of seed and/or sod;
g. Entrance treatment.
3. Trees and shrubs shall be keyed into a plant list.
4. Upon installation, trees shall not be less than the following sizes:
a. Shade trees: Two and one-half inch (21/2") caliper, minimum, as measured twelve inches (12") above grade.
b. Evergreen: Six feet (6') tall, minimum.
c. Ornamental: Six feet (6') tall, minimum, if multistem. Two and one-half inches (21/2") in caliper, minimum, if single stem.
5. Trees shall be planted throughout the subdivision along proposed streets, screenings, in common areas, and in open areas meant for use by the public, and other areas shown on the landscaping plan.
6. In street parkways, shade trees shall be planted at an average interval of forty feet (40'). A minimum of three (3) trees per street frontage for lots of seventy feet (70') or wider shall be required as approved by the village administrator.
a. Trees shall not be planted within four feet (4') of any sidewalk or other paved area within the parkway.
b. At street intersections, no tree shall be planted within thirty feet (30') of the nearest right of way line intersection.
c. Trees shall not be planted within twenty feet (20') of a proposed or existing streetlight.
d. Shade trees shall not be spaced at intervals less than forty feet (40'). All single-family lots that are wider than seventy feet (70') shall have two (2) trees and spacing adjusted accordingly.
e. A minimum of three (3) tree species shall be planted randomly per block.
f. Decorative groupings of trees in commercial or multi-family residential developments may be substituted for interval planting upon review of the village planner and approval of the plan commission.
7. For lots with double frontages, a berming and landscape plan shall be required to provide screening as deemed appropriate by the plan commission.
8. Parkway shade trees shall be selected from the following recommended species:
Common Name | Botanical Name |
Common Name | Botanical Name |
American linden | Tilia americana |
Autumn blaze maple | Acer rubrum |
Burr oak | Quercus macroccarpa |
Chinkapin oak | Quercus myehlenbergii |
Ginkgo (male only) | Ginkgo biloba |
Hackberry | Celtis occidentalis |
Hybrid elm | Ulmus species |
Kentucky coffee tree (male ony) | Gymnocladus dioicus |
Norway maple | Acer platanoides |
Ornamental pear | Pyrus calleryana |
Red maple | Acer rubrum |
Sugar maple | Acer saccarum |
Swamp white oak | Quercus bicolor |
Sweetgum | Liquidambar styraciflua |
Zelkova | Zelkova serrata |
9. Other trees that may be considered and approved by the village include:
Common Name | Botanical Name |
American hop hornbeam | Ostrya virginiana |
European hornbeam | Carpinus betulus |
Hedge maple | Acer campestre |
London plane tree | Platanus acerifolia |
Shingle oak | Fagaceae quercus |
TABLE 1
RECOMMENDED PROTECTED TREE SPECIES
Botanic Names | Common Names |
Botanic Names | Common Names |
Abies concolor | White fir |
Acer | Maple: fairview, Norway, Schwedler, sugar hybrids, crimson king |
Amelanchier x grandiflora | Apple serviceberry |
Carya | Hickory: shagbark, pignut, black, pale, water, bitternut |
Catalpa | Catalpa |
Celtis | Hackberry |
Cercis | Redbud, whitebud - tree form only |
Fraxinus | Ash: white, autumn purple or equivalent hybrid |
Ginkgo biloba | Maidenhair |
Gleditsia | Honey locust: imperial, skyline, shademaster or equivalent hybrid |
Gymnocladus | Kentucky coffee tree |
Juglans | Walnut |
Liriodendron | Tulip tree |
Malus | Crabapple; disease resistant variety, tree form only |
Ostrya | Ironwood |
Picea | Blue spruce, Norway spruce |
Pinus | White pine |
Pyrus | Pear: redspire, chanticleer or equivalent hybrid |
Quercus | Oak: white, swamp, burr, red, English |
Syringa reticulate | Japanese lilac tree |
Tilia | Linden (basswood): redmond, little leaf, greenspire or equivalent hybrid |
Trees designated as nonrecommended trees or unacceptable for use as replacement trees are listed in table 2 of this section:
TABLE 2
LIST OF NONRECOMMENDED TREES
Botanic Names | Common Names |
Botanic Names | Common Names |
Acer negundo | Box elder (ashleaf maple) |
Acer saccharinum | Silver maple |
Ailanthus altissima | Tree of heaven (Chinese sumac) |
Cornus racemosa | Grey dogwood |
Elaeagnus angustifolia | Russian olive |
Ginkgo biloba | Female ginkgo |
Morus | Mulberry |
Pinus | Red pine, Austrian pine |
Platanus occidentalis | American sycamore (buttonwood) |
Populus | Poplars: white (silver), cottonwood (except cottonless cottonwood) |
Rhamnus | Buckthorn: common, glossy |
Robinia pseudoacacia | Black locust |
Salix | Willows: weeping |
Ulmus parvifolia | Chinese elm (lacebark elm) |
Ulmus pumila | Siberian elm |
D. Tree Planting Requirements: Trees selected for planting shall conform in size and grade to "American Standard For Nursery Stock" (latest edition).
1. Each tree to be planted shall have a single, relatively straight trunk with a minimum trunk diameter of three inches (3") measured at six inches (6") above ground level.
2. Trees shall be balled and burlapped.
3. Each tree shall be northern nursery grown and approved by the village arborist.
4. Trees shall have been transplanted twice, the last transplanting being not less than four (4) years prior to planting.
5. All trees shall be tagged and identified as to species, size and place of origin. Such tags shall not be removed by the developer prior to inspection by the village.
6. Trees shall be planted plumb (after settlement) and at the same relative height above the finished grade as was their height above grade at the nursery. Holes shall be backfilled with a planting soil mixture consisting of three (3) parts friable topsoil and one part peat moss, and shall be thoroughly watered when the hole is two-thirds (2/3) full. After watering, the filling shall be completed and the soil thoroughly tamped. After planting, a three inch (3") mulch of shredded hardwood bark shall be applied over the disturbed ground, and a shallow watering basin shall be provided around the tree.
7. The developer shall be responsible for causing each tree to be planted in a vertical and plumb position and to maintain each tree to remain in a vertical and plumb position throughout the guarantee period. All trees shall be staked and guyed as needed at the time of planting using a bracing procedure to be approved by the superintendent of public works prior to installation.
8. All trees (original or replacement) determined by the village to be diseased or not in vigorous growing condition after two (2) growing seasons shall be replaced at the beginning of the next succeeding planting season, at no cost to the village.
E. Areas To Be Graded And Sodded/Seeded:
1. All swales draining two (2) or more lots and all parkways shall be graded and sodded/seeded unless it is determined by the village engineer that another method of providing ground cover is more practical. The minimum width of sodding in swales shall be ten feet (10') centered at the centerline of the swale or to the flow line, whichever is smaller. A swale sodding detail shall be provided as part of the required sediment and soil erosion plan.
2. All front and side yards on residential lots shall be graded and sodded/seeded.
3. Areas to be sodded/seeded shall be cleared of stumps, badly damaged trees, boulders and other debris. The areas where residential buildings shall be located shall be graded smooth and compacted. All other areas shall be retained in as natural a condition as possible with existing soils and vegetation, except as approved in writing by the superintendent of public works. A minimum of six inches (6") of topsoil shall be spread on top of the prepared ground surface.
4. All sodding/seeding shall be done in conformance with applicable sections of the "Standard Specifications For Road And Bridge Construction".
5. Sodded/seeded areas shall be maintained and repaired as necessary until the growth is uniformly well established.
6. The developer shall be responsible for protection of the water service boxes, all service marker boards, all manholes and frames, and curb and gutter during the final lot grading. Any damages shall be repaired or replaced immediately at the developer's expense by methods as approved by public works or the village engineer.
7. Sod/seed installation and watering shall be scheduled by homebuilder in accordance with all other village ordinances in effect at that time.
(Ord. 2015-02-05, 2-5-2015; amd. Ord. 2022-12-14, 12-15-2022)