As land is developed, the village encourages preservation of desirable trees that already exist. The village also believes the addition of new trees and other plantings will be of great aesthetic benefit to the village of Carpentersville. The landscape regulations mandate landscaping as a part of all development for the immediate and long-term benefit of the community and its residents.

The intent of the landscape regulations is to provide some direction as to what the village expects as compliance with the landscape regulations. It is not the intent of the regulations to dictate how compliance is achieved as developments often vary in both size and manner.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

A landscape plan is a required submittal for all commercial, industrial and residential developments. This plan shall be reviewed and approved by the village prior to the issuance of any permits. The landscape plan shall be in substantial compliance with the village landscape regulations. To assist with the review of the landscape plan, it is recommended that the following information be included on the landscape plan document:

A.

Name of developer;

B.

Name of subdivision;

C.

Name of designer;

D.

Location map noting existing streets and roads;

E.

Appropriate scale;

F.

Date of plan and latest revision;

G.

List of plant species to be installed;

H.

Plan of entire proposed development showing location and arrangement of plants;

I.

Critical development boundaries such as edge of asphalt, property line, building line, etc.;

J.

Frontage dimensions for each existing and proposed lots;

K.

Any other information that shall assist in the review of the landscape plan;

L.

All specifications shall be included on the landscape plan documents;

M.

The plans shall be sealed by a landscape architect if prepared by one.

If existing trees are to be considered for tree calculation purposes, the specific area of existing trees shall be noted on the landscape plan. The existing tree survey can be illustrated on the landscape plan if it can be clearly and accurately detailed; otherwise, the tree survey should be detailed on a separate illustrative plan.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

A.

The number of different species of trees used in any proposed development shall be sufficient to bring diversity to the site and prevent a monoculture situation.

B.

Consideration shall be given so that vehicular and pedestrian vision lines are not screened at curves or intersections. Evergreen trees, ornamental trees (multistem or low-branched) or shrubs could obstruct vision lines as they mature in size.

C.

All trees and plants shall comply with the American Association of Nurseryman's (ANSI Z260.1-2004) standards. Trees and plantings shall be quality stock of specimen character, free of pests, diseases or any other disorders. Trees and plantings will be installed and maintained using sound horticultural techniques (i.e., mulch, wrapping, staking, watering, etc.) installed at the time and season appropriate for the particular plant species.

D.

No proposed trees shall be located within a swale or in any utility easements.

E.

A minimum of one shade tree must be planted for every 40 lineal feet of right-of-way frontage.

F.

An estimated cost of construction shall be provided with all landscape plans for bonding purposes.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

A statement of concept of the proposed landscaping should be submitted and included on the face of the landscape plan. This shall include a wholesale landscape improvement cost and designate the owner or owner's agent responsible for landscape installation and landscape maintenance. The owner of the property, premises or designated authority noted in the concept statement shall be responsible for all maintenance, repair and replacement of all landscaping materials, fences, berms, walls and any other requirements of the landscaping regulations. Language must be included within the concept statement that all landscaped materials must be maintained in both a living and healthy state subject to review and inspection by the community development department.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

A statement shall be included on the face of the landscape plan confirming compliance with the provisions of the landscape regulations, e.g., five parkway shade trees provided for 200 linear feet of right-of-way, two shade trees provided for20 total parking spaces and parking lot islands provide ten percent of parking lot interior space, etc.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

A.

Shade Tree. A deciduous tree with an average mature height in excess of20 feet and with a minimum caliper size of two and one-half inches per tree;

B.

Ornamental Tree. A deciduous tree with an unmaintained average mature height of less than20 feet with a minimum height of six feet and an average of seven feet in height. Only single stem ornamental trees will be permitted in any right-of-way;

C.

Evergreen Tree. A coniferous tree with an average mature height in excess of20 feet;

D.

Shrub. A branched woody plant with a minimum installation height of two and one-half feet for deciduous shrubs and one and one-half to two feet for evergreen shrubs. To meet the various screening requirements, a minimum of 50 percent of the proposed landscaped screen shall be evergreen shrubs.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

A.

A minimum of one approved two and one-half-inch calipered shade tree measured at six inches above grade level shall be planted along every 40 lineal feet of right-of-way. These trees shall be planted in the right-of-way not less than four feet from any curb or sidewalk, not less than ten feet from driveways, not less than ten feet from fire hydrants, and not less than15 feet from light poles.

B.

All right-of-way trees shall be supplied balled and burlapped (B and B).

C.

Any unpaved area of a right-of-way must be final graded and covered with a minimum of six inches of topsoil and either sodded or seeded or covered with groundcover vegetation as approved by the community development department. All seed mix shall include hydro-mulch or a protective blanket.

D.

All trees shall be maintained until they are established. Any trees not in a vigorous growing condition at the time of final development acceptance shall be replaced at the beginning of the next growing season by the planter of the tree and at no expense to the village.

E.

Any tree that poses a safety hazard to persons or property must be removed after the issuance of a tree removal permit and replaced by the planter of the tree and at no expense to the village.

F.

No landscape material can exceed thirty-six (36) inches in mature plant height within the sight triangle. No improvements shall be placed, nor plant materials allowed to grow within the sight triangle so as to obstruct or limit the sight distance of motorists. Such a triangle shall have legs of 25 feet along the rights-of-way line when two streets intersect and ten feet along the right-of-way line and the driveway edge when a street and a driveway intersect. Shade trees, however, which are pruned to provide clearance to at least ten feet above ground level, can be planted within sight triangles.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

A.

Permitted general and right-of-way trees include, but are not limited to the following species. Additional species may be considered by the engineering department. Trees shall be nursery grown and will comply with the standards of the American Association of Nurserymen (ANSI Z260.1-2004).

B.

Some of the species listed above in subsection (A) may have limitations in their application. The above list is for newly installed street and shade trees. Existing trees on tree surveys may include an expanded list of acceptable species. Certain varieties of plants may be discouraged such as those that have:

1.

Disease or pest problems, i.e., white birch except for whitespire birch;

2.

Thorns or conditions that would pose other potential dangers, i.e., Washington hawthorn;

3.

Other potential problems in certain situations, i.e., winter-burn on white pine in open areas.

C.

Trees planted directly under overhead utility lines shall be sized to not interfere with the lines, and shall be limited to those trees marked with an asterisk (*) in subsection (A) above.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

(Ord. No. 12-44, § 2, 11-20-2012)

A.

It is unlawful to plant anywhere in the village any trees with the following growth habits: soft brittle wood, harbor insects, malodorous vegetation, water-seeking root system, wide and/or low branching, suckering habit, pendulous, deciduous thorns, and domestic fruit trees. Examples of such trees are:

B.

It is unlawful to plant in the public right-of-way in any property owned by the village conifers of any species.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

(Ord. No. 12-44, § 3, 11-20-2012)

A.

All newly proposed parking lots shall fully comply with Sections 16.80.110 and 16.80.120.

B.

All existing parking lots being reconstructed (including replacement of the subgrade, sub-base, or base course) shall fully comply with Sections 16.80.110 and 16.80.120 in the area being reconstructed.

C.

All existing parking lots only being resurfaced (including repair or replacement of the pavers, concrete pavement, bituminous surface course and/or bituminous binder course), sealcoated or re-striped are not required to comply with Sections 16.80.110 and 16.80.120 in all areas that are not being reconstructed.

D.

All new expansions of existing parking lots shall fully comply with Sections 16.80.110 and 16.80.120 in the areas of new expansion.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

(Ord. No. 09-70, § 2, 12-1-2009)

A.

A minimum of one shade tree shall be required per every ten parking spaces. This requirement can be achieved with allowance for some flexibility on the shade tree locations and will be reviewed and approved by the community development department. The minimum calculation requirement shall be complied with regardless of the planting locations.

B.

Not less than ten percent of the interior of a parking lot, including parking spaces, the shade tree requirement, drive-aisles and driveways, shall be devoted to landscaping islands or peninsulas. Such islands and peninsulas shall be designed to break up the mass of parking spaces and shall be utilized at the end of parking rows where they abut drive-aisles. Acceptable plantings within these areas will include shade trees, shrubs, perennials and groundcovers. The area of said islands and/or peninsulas which is sodded shall not exceed 50 percent of said area.

C.

Landscaping islands and peninsulas shall be designed to comply with the village "Engineering Standards."

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

A.

The exterior of all parking lots, inclusive of parking spaces, drive-aisles and driveways, shall preserve a 100 percent solid landscape buffer between a nonresidential use and a residential use. The landscape buffer must maintain a minimum height of eight feet for all industrial uses and a minimum height of seven feet for all commercial and other remaining uses.

B.

The exterior of a parking lot shall provide a seventy-five (75) percent solid landscape buffer between all other land uses. The landscape buffer must maintain a minimum height of seven feet.

C.

The remainder of the exterior of the parking lot minus the retention/detention areas must provide an additional landscaped area of equal to at least 25 percent of the total area of the parcel(s). This can be achieved in a varied manner to be reviewed by the community development department and shall include any varied combination of the following options to meet the 25 percent requirement. For every 50 lineal feet of parking lot perimeter curbline, the following is required:

1.

One two and one-half inch caliper shade tree; or

2.

Two ornamental trees or two evergreen trees; or

3.

Five evergreen or deciduous shrubs; or

4.

One hundred (100) square feet of perennial plants or groundcovers; or

5.

One hundred (100) square feet of ornamental grasses.

D.

For all new commercial, industrial and residential development, a minimum of a seven-foot area is required between the exterior portion of any parking lot or driveway surface (e.g., back of curb) and the neighboring property line. Buffer landscaping plantings shall be located within this seven-foot area (see subsections (C)(1) through (5) of this section for buffer planting requirements) and the remainder shall be either sodded or seeded. When a nonresidential property abuts a residential property, the pavement area shall be increased per residential zoning district as follows:

E.

Landscape plantings shall be protected from temporary snow storage and vehicular and pedestrian encroachment through the use of barrier curbs and edging materials. All parking lot curbs shall also conform with the village "Engineering Standards."

F.

Additional height of such a buffer may be required dependent on the characteristics of the site, for example, topography. The landscape buffer shall only consist of plant materials within any required front yard.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

All commercial and industrial zoned properties must maintain a minimum five-foot wide foundation planting area except where pedestrian and vehicular access to the building is necessary. However, foundation plantings are encouraged in between buildings and pedestrian access walks. Such landscaping shall include shade, ornamental and evergreen trees, shrubs, perennial plants, ornamental grasses and sod. No more than 25 percent of such foundation planting areas shall be sod. All mechanical equipment (electrical and utility) areas must be screened with evergreen plantings which will be reviewed and approved by the community development department for acceptable heights and species.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

A.

For every 50 lineal feet of a retention/detention facility the following plantings shall be required in a varied manner to be reviewed and approved by the community development department and include any varied combination of the following planting options:

1.

One two and one-half-inch caliper shade tree; or

2.

Two ornamental trees; or

3.

Five evergreen or deciduous shrubs; or

4.

One hundred (100) square feet of perennial plants or groundcovers; or

5.

One hundred (100) square feet of ornamental grasses.

B.

All areas except where occupied by planting areas or permanently covered by water shall be seeded and blanketed. You do not want sod in a lower maintenance area like this; seed and blanket will give a better long-term product.

C.

A minimum ten foot naturalized landscape buffer of plantings shall surround all detention/retention areas. Such areas that are located on the slope of any detention/retention areas shall have the appropriate soil stabilization present and comply with the village "Engineering Standards."

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

All refuse areas shall be constructed as required in Chapter 16.34. The refuse area enclosures shall be screened by evergreen landscaping materials that shall be reviewed and approved by the community development department for acceptable heights and species.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

(Ord. No. 11-36, § 10, 8-2-2011)

Loading docks, storage areas and service yards must be screened from residential properties and public rights-of-way by either a fence, masonry wall or berm at a height needed to provide 100 percent screening. Landscape plantings are also required in addition to the screening requirements that will be reviewed by the community development department for acceptable height and species.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

All freestanding signs (ground and monument) shall include a landscaped base area that consists of shrubs and either groundcovers or perennials that shall be subject to the review and approval of the community development department.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

A.

It is the intent of this section to establish regulations limiting the removal and insuring the replacement of trees from public and private property within the village and, in doing so, safeguard the ecological and aesthetic environment of the community. These regulations are further intended to serve to dissuade the unnecessary clearing and distributing of land so as to preserve, insofar as practical, the existing natural vegetation with plant material indigenous to the region, and preserve existing landscape buffers to minimize the impact of adjoining differing land uses, enhance and protect the integrity of roadway corridors, and reduce the surface heat and negative visual impact of vehicular use areas.

B.

The removal of any trees from any property prior to the issuance of a tree removal permit shall result in the issuance of a stop work order of all work on the property until the appropriate tree removal permit is issued.

C.

Tree location plan shall be required by the village engineer, or his or her authorized designee, with each subdivision application if public improvements are planned and also with the development of single lots. Each tree preservation plan and application shall:

1.

Be drawn at a scale not smaller than one inch equals 50 inches. Reduced copies of said plan may be required by the village;

2.

Identify all existing trees six inches in diameter or larger measured forty-eight (48) inches (diameter at breast height) above the ground by location, size, species, and condition, which are within 60 feet of a proposed street or a private road center line, or within20 feet of any proposed utility easement (as measured from both of the utility easement edges);

3.

Show proposed street right-of-way and public improvement easements;

4.

Indicate those trees shown on the plan that are proposed to be trimmed or removed. Trees on the site must clearly be marked indicating that the tree will either remain or be removed.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

A.

All grading and construction equipment shall be forbidden from encroaching upon the trees' drip line.

B.

Crushed limestone or any other material which may be detrimental to trees shall not be dumped within the drip line of any trees nor shall be located at any higher location where drainage toward the tree(s) could affect the health of said tree(s).

C.

No materials or vehicles shall be stored, driven, or parked within the drip line of any tree.

D.

Snow fencing or an alternative temporary barrier, with the written approval of the village engineer or his or her authorized designee, shall be installed at the periphery of the trees' drip line or beyond to prevent storage of vehicles or materials.

E.

No unauthorized tree trimming is permitted.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

The methods which are to be used to preserve those trees shall be clearly specified. If, in the opinion of the village engineer or his or her authorized designee, the necessary precautions, as specified in the tree preservation plan for development, were not undertaken before or during construction to ensure the preservation of those trees, the land development permit for the parcel shall not be issued, or if previously issued, may be revoked until such time as compliance with the precautions is achieved.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

In the event a tree designated for preservation is destroyed or razed during the construction process, such trees shall be replaced with new trees in accordance with the following:

For the above, in the event of a fraction of an inch, if the fraction is less than one-half inch, it may be disregarded. If the fraction is one-half inch or greater, it shall be counted as one inch.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

All replacement trees shall be reviewed by the village engineer, or his or her authorized designee, and be a minimum trunk size of three inches in diameter, as measured six inches above the ground. Any combination of tree sizes three inches in diameter or larger, may be used for tree replacements i.e., one 24 inch tree equals two six-inch and four three-inch tree replacements or eight three-inch replacements. When in the opinion of the village engineer, adequate space does not exist on the property where the preserved tree(s) were removed to properly plant the replacement trees, the replacement trees shall be planted at other locations throughout the village, in public right-of-way areas, as are designated by the village engineer.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

An automatic irrigation system is required for all new commercial and industrial developments projects on all turfed areas within both the right-of-way and on private property.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

Unless the development is under the regulations of the subdivision ordinance, the community development department on request by the owner and/or developer shall inspect the property within two years of the installation of all landscaped materials to determine compliance with the landscape regulations. The village shall require a cash bond, escrow or letter of credit in the amount of one hundred ten (110) percent of the wholesale landscape improvement cost prior to permit issuance and in effect from the date of inspection. Any and all landscape deficiencies shall be remedied, inspected and accepted by the village within two years of the inspection or all sureties will be forfeited, to be used by the village for other landscaping purposes throughout the village as it deems appropriate.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

Innovative landscaping and landscape designs are encouraged and shall be considered as a positive element in connection with any requested landscape relief.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

Earthern berms can be used effectively with landscaping to reduce the impact that one developed property has on another. No berm shall exceed the one-foot vertical to three-foot horizontal gradient. A retaining wall may be used only on one side of a berm and shall be reviewed by the engineering department. The community development department will determine the suitable balance between a berm and the required landscaping for each property.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

Retaining walls can be used either as a screen or as part of a berm screen, if approved by community development department. Acceptable materials that can be used for a retaining wall are stone, brick or a similar type of masonry material. All retaining walls shall comply with all manufacturers' design and installation requirements, including a structural engineer's stamp and seal as required. The maximum height of any retaining wall section cannot exceed seven feet. If two or more sections of a retaining wall are required, a minimum of a seven-foot horizontal terrace is required between each vertical section. The maximum number of retaining wall sections used in conjunction with any development is three, with a maximum height of21 feet. This terraced area will be required to contain landscaping materials to be reviewed and approved by the community development department. All retaining walls shall comply with the village "Engineering Standards."

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

The community development department may approve landscape relief from a portion of the landscape requirements. This is with the condition that the landscape requirements for the area subject to landscape relief are planted or compensated elsewhere on the subject property as designated by the community development department.

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)

For any further landscape material standards, refer to the American Standard for Nursery Stock ANSI Z60. 1-2004 which was approved May 12, 2004 and published by the American Nursery and Landscape Association (ANLA).

(Ord. 07-27 § 2 (part), 2007)