(a)   Buffers are required to protect uses from adverse impacts caused by uses in other Districts. The intent is to permit land owners several options from which to choose in developing their property, while insuring each neighbor adequate protection regardless of the choice. For the purposes of defining buffer requirements, all land abutting the Village shall be considered as if they were in an R-SF zoning district.

   (b)   The buffer is a strip of land together with the planting required thereon. Both the amount of land and the type and amount of planting specified for each buffer requirement of this Zoning Ordinance are designed to minimize nuisances between adjacent land uses or between a land use and a public street. The planting units required in buffers have been calculated to insure that they do, in fact, function as "buffers". A street shall never be considered a buffer.

(Ord. 98-12. Passed 4-7-98.)

   Buffers are required to separate different land uses from each other in order to eliminate or minimize potential nuisances such as dirt, litter, traffic, noise, glare of lights, signs, and unsightly buildings or parking areas, or to provide spacing to reduce adverse impacts of noise, odor, or danger from fires or explosions. The fact that a particular land use may be permitted by right in its zoning district does not exempt it from the buffering requirements. Each application for a Zoning Permit, site plan approval, or a Certificate of Occupancy shall include information on the location and types of buffers to be constructed or already existing. This information shall be in sufficient detail to enable the Zoning Inspector to determine whether the requirements of this chapter are being met. The installation of all required buffers shall be completed prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy.

(Ord. 98-12. Passed 4-7-98.)

   (a)   Buffers shall be located on the outer perimeter of a lot or parcel, extending to the lot or parcel boundary line and shall not be located on any portion of an existing or dedicated public or private street or right-of-way. In new construction, the buffer is in addition to required yards.

   (b)   The installation of buffers is the responsibility of the developer. The property owner shall be responsible for the maintenance of all buffers. Litter and debris shall be kept cleared and dead plants shall be replaced with plants meeting the specifications in Section 1161.07. All structures shall be kept in good repair. If proper maintenance is not provided, the Zoning Inspector shall notify the property owner of such fact, and if the proper action is not taken within thirty (30) days of such notice, the Village shall be authorized to enter the property and perform the work. The cost of this work shall be charged to the property owners and a lien on the property in that amount shall exist until the Village is reimbursed.

(Ord. 98-12. Passed 4-7-98.)

   A buffer may be used for passive recreation and may contain picnic tables and bicycle, pedestrian, or equestrian trails, provided that no required plant material is eliminated, the total width of the buffer is maintained, and all other regulations are met. A buffer shall not be used for drives, accessory buildings, or any other use.

(Ord. 98-12. Passed 4-7-98.)

   When a lot has been developed and the required buffer is installed that land owner will not later be required to add to the buffer, regardless of subsequent adjacent development, as long as the use does not change. If subsequent adjacent development does not require as great a buffer as has been installed, the land owner of the first lot may reduce the existing buffer, but no more than will leave a buffer meeting all requirements.

(Ord. 98-12. Passed 4-7-98.)

   The following descriptions list the specifications of each buffer. The requirements are minimum and the developer may increase the buffer at his option. Buffer requirements are stated in terms of width of the buffer and the number of plant units required per one hundred (100) linear feet of buffer. The requirements of a buffer may be satisfied by any of the options under each letter designation. The number of plant materials required per one hundred (100) feet is represented by a whole or decimal number. Both the type and number of plants is, therefore, specified. All mathematical rounding shall be upwards and shall be applied to the total amount of plant material required in the buffer, not to each one hundred (100) feet in length. Smaller plant sizes are permitted when adjacent to vacant or agricultural land.

   (a)   Buffer "A". The requirements for Buffer "A" shall be met by any one of the following:

      (1)   10 feet wide strip with 1 canopy tree, 2 understory trees, and 3 shrubs per 100 linear feet; or,

      (2)   15 feet wide strip with 0.8 canopy tree, 1.6 understory trees, and 2.4 shrubs per 100 linear feet; or,

      (3)   20 feet wide strip with 0.6 canopy tree, 1.2 understory trees, and 1.8 shrubs per 100 linear feet.

   (b)   Buffer "B". The requirements for Buffer "B" shall be met by any one of the following:

      (1)   10 feet wide strip with a 44 inch high wood picket fence, a 48 inch high wood rail fence, ornamental iron fence or masonry wall and 1 canopy tree, 2 understory trees, and 3 shrubs per 100 linear feet; or,

      (2)   15 feet wide strip with 1 canopy tree, 2 understory trees, and 3 shrubs per 100 linear feet; or,

      (3)   20 feet wide strip with 0.8 canopy tree, 1.6 understory trees, and 2.4 shrubs per 100 linear feet.

   (c)   Buffer "C". The requirements for Buffer "C" shall be met by any one of the following:

      (1)   10 feet wide strip with 6 feet high wood stockade, board on board, or other solid wood fence or other architecturally compatible masonry barrier and 2 canopy trees, 3 understory trees, and 5 shrubs per 100 linear feet between the fence or masonry barrier and the property line; or,

      (2)   20 feet wide strip with a 4 foot high earth berm and 2 canopy trees, 3 understory trees, and 5 shrubs per 100 linear feet; or,

      (3)   25 feet wide strip with 2 canopy trees, 3 understory trees, and 5 shrubs per 100 linear feet.

   (d)   Buffer "D". The requirements for Buffer "D" shall be met by any one of the following:

      (1)   15 feet wide strip with 6 foot high wood stockade, board on board, or other solid wood or architecturally compatible masonry barrier and 2 canopy trees, 4 understory trees, and 6 shrubs per 100 linear feet; or,

      (2)   20 feet wide strip with a 4 foot high earth berm and 2 canopy trees, 4 understory trees, and 6 shrubs per 100 linear feet; or,

      (3)   30 feet wide strip with 2 canopy trees, 4 understory trees, and 6 shrubs per 100 linear feet; or

      (4)   40 feet wide strip with 1.2 canopy trees, 2.4 understory trees, 3.6 shrubs per 100 linear feet shall be required for projects located within the General Business District and containing 50,000 square feet or more of gross floor area and/or sites greater than 5 acres in size.

(Ord. 98-12. Passed 4-7-98.)

   Plant materials should be selected which are appropriate to soil and site conditions. It is recommended that species be selected which are resistant to heat, drought, insects, and diseases and which require low maintenance. At least one (1) ornamental flowering plant variety shall be required in each buffer for each ten (10) feet of buffer depth. Trees and shrubs may be evergreen, deciduous, or any combination thereof. Table 2 gives the minimum plant sizes to be placed in buffers. It should be noted that existing plant materials meeting these minimum requirements may be counted toward the total requirements. The exact placement of required plants shall be the decision of the user and all buffer areas shall be seeded or planted with grass or other ground cover unless ground cover is already established.

(Ord. 98-12. Passed 4-7-98.)

 

All plant material shall conform to the American Standard for Nursery Stock.

(Ord. 98-12. Passed 4-7-98.)

   The following are the buffering requirements of listed permitted uses in each district and certain special types of development. Conditional uses may be required to have greater required buffers, but shall in all cases be required to have at a minimum the same buffer as permitted uses.

   (a)   Buffers required for R-SF1 - Single Family Districts. 

      None.

   (b)   Buffers required for R-SF2 - Single Family and Cluster Development Districts.

       None.

   (c)   Buffers required for R-2F - Two Family Districts. 

      None.

   (d)   Buffers required for R-MF1 - Multi-Family Attached Districts.

      (1)   Adjacent to R-SF1 and R-SF2 Districts

         Along streets - no buffers required

         Along other boundaries - Buffer Type B required

      (2)   Adjacent to R-2F Districts

         Along streets - no buffers required

         Along other boundaries - Buffer Type A required

      (3)   Along all other boundaries - no buffers are required

   (e)   Buffers required for R-MF2 - Multi-Family Districts.

      (1)   Adjacent to R-SF1, R-SF2 and R-2F Districts

         Along streets - no buffers are required

         Along other boundaries - Buffer Type C required

      (2)   Adjacent to R-MF1

         Along streets - no buffers are required

         Along other boundaries - Buffer Type A required

      (3)   Along all other boundaries - no buffers are required

   (f)   Buffers required for PUD Planned Unit Development.

      (1)   Adjacent to R-SF1, R-SF2 and R-2F

         Along streets - No buffer required

         Along other boundaries - Type A Buffer required

      (2)   Along all other boundaries - no buffers are required

   (g)   Buffers required for BD - Downtown Business District.

      (1)   Adjacent to R-SF1, R-SF2, R-2F and R-MF1

         Along streets - no buffers required

         Along other boundaries - Type A Buffer required

      (2)   Along all other boundaries - no buffers required.

   (h)   Buffers required for BN and BOP - Business Districts.

      (1)   Adjacent to all residential districts

         Along streets - Buffer Type B required

         Along other boundaries - Type C Buffer required

      (2)   Adjacent to BD, BN, BOP and BG Districts

         Along streets - Buffer Type B required

         Along other boundaries - Type C Buffer required

   (i)   Buffers required for BG - General Business Districts.

      (1)   Adjacent to all residential districts

         Along streets - Buffer Type B required

         Along other boundaries - Type D Buffer required

      (2)   Adjacent to BD, BN and BOP districts

         Along streets - Buffer Type B required

         Along other boundaries - Type C Buffer required

   (j)   Buffers required for IL - Light Industrial Districts.

      (1)   Adjacent to all residential districts

         Along streets - Buffer Type C required

         Along other boundaries - Type D Buffer required

      (2)   Adjacent to BD, BN, BOP and BG districts

         Along streets - Buffer Type B required

         Along other boundaries - Type C Buffer required

   These buffer requirements are repeated in tabular form in the following table.

 

Street frontage - none unless otherwise noted

(Ord. 98-12. Passed 4-7-98.)