11-3-19: LANDSCAPING AND TREES:
   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)