Glen Carbon City Zoning Code

   A.   Purpose And Intent: Landscaped areas shall be provided in order to create attractive transition areas between properties; to minimize the impact of air, water and noise pollution; to provide shade and reduce glare, to minimize the visual impact of solid waste receptacles and other on site storage areas; to aid in directing pedestrian and vehicular movement; and to maintain, reduce soil erosion and storm water runoff and protect water quality, and enhance the natural features of the site. Landscape elements may include desirable existing vegetation, existing trees and new plantings, landscaped landforms/berms, water features, rock groupings and all other approved open space components. It is the further purpose and intent of this section to require adequate buffers for the contiguous properties against undesirable effects from the development and operation of the land use, its parking or loading areas and to protect and preserve the appearance and character of the surrounding neighborhoods and of the village through the screening effects and aesthetic qualities of such landscaping.

   B.   Applicability Of Provisions: Every site plan shall comply with the regulations contained in this section.

   C.   Application, Review And Approval Of the Landscape Plan: A landscape plan shall be submitted with the application for site plan approval. The review and approval of the landscape plan will occur concurrently with the review and approval of the other elements of the site plan.

   D.   Contents Of Plan: A landscape plan shall be drawn to scale and include the following:

      1.   Project name, owner name and name of company preparing the plan

      2.   North arrow, graphic scale and written scale

      3.   Topographic and utility survey base plan illustrating the existing conditions of the site and including all the existing utilities, contours, structures, perimeter streets and vegetation.

      4.   Tree and vegetation protection plan that illustrates the removal or protection status of each tree and vegetation type. Document and locate the tree protection measures such as protection fence, root pruning and other measures that ensure the protection of vegetation/trees to remain on the site.

      5.   Illustrate all existing trees on the landscape plan with the genus/species, size in caliper or diameter breast height (DBH), condition (good, fair, poor, dead), and protection or removal status. Provide tree protection measures for trees to be preserved on the site.

      6.   Proposed landscape plan overlay over the base plan illustrating the proposed site improvements/features, utilities, contours, plantings, and the existing vegetation/trees to protected on the site and meeting the Design Standards for Plan. Refer to paragraph E.

      7.   Proposed plant list of trees, shrubs, perennials/forbs, grasses, vines and annuals that are included on the landscape plan.

      8.   Graphic legends for existing and proposed landscaping and features to enhance the clarity of the drawing for the reviewers.

      9.   Preparation of the landscape plan by an Illinois licensed landscape architect, ISA certified arborist, or commercial landscape professional.

      10.   Current date or revision date on the drawing.

   E.   Design Standards For the Plan: The landscape plan shall be prepared based on the following standards:

      1.   Street trees shall be provided along all street frontages and be clearly delineated on the plan. The street tree requirement may be fulfilled by new and/or existing trees; provided, that there is one street tree for every forty ( 40) linear feet, or part thereof, of street frontage measured along the parallel property line. Such street trees shall be located on the subject property at least ten feet (10') but not more than twenty feet (20') from the back of the curb.

      2.   A minimum of ten (10) square feet of interior landscaped area shall be provided within the parking lot for each four hundred (400) square feet of paved area within the parking lot including parking spaces and driving aisles. The landscaping shall be arranged in one of more areas so as to minimize and reduce the apparent size of parking areas.

      3.   All interior landscaped areas provided in accordance with subsection E.2. of this section shall be raised and curbed and shall have a minimum width of six feet (6') measured from the front of curb to front of curb and a minimum area of ninety (90) square feet for half island/minimum one hundred eighty (180) square feet for each full island. Each separate interior landscaped area shall include at least one deciduous shade tree of at least two and one-half inch (2-1/2") caliper size.

      4.   Off street parking or loading areas, which are located adjacent to any property in a residential zoning district, shall be buffered by a continuous opaque screen to a height adequate to prevent the direct light from vehicle headlights from being cast on the adjacent property. Such opaque screen shall be a minimum of four feet (4') but not more than eight feet (8') in height; except, that the height shall not exceed three feet (3 ') within fifteen feet (15') of a road right of way. The opaque screen may consist of a wall, fence, landscaped earth berm, planted vegetation, or existing vegetation, or any combination thereof which maintains a completely opaque screen. The opaque portion of the screen must be opaque in all seasons of the year.

      5.   All trash enclosures and other accessory structures shall be buffered by a continuous opaque screen to a height adequate to prevent the direct view of the structure. Such opaque screen shall be a minimum of six feet (6') but not more than eight feet (8') in height; except, that the height shall not exceed three feet (3') within fifteen feet (15') of a road right of way. The opaque screen may consist of a wall, fence, landscaped earth berm, planted vegetation, or existing vegetation, or any combination thereof which maintains a completely opaque screen. The opaque portion of the screen must be opaque in all seasons of the year.

      6.   he use of earth sculpting or berms is encouraged; provided, that such features are designed in an area of sufficient size so as to avoid erosion, drainage or maintenance problems; and provided, that the height of berms shall not exceed six feet (6') and slope of the berm shall not exceed one foot (1 ') of vertical rise per three feet (3') of horizontal distance (a maximum slope of 3:1).

      7.   Provide clear site distance triangles at all street intersections and entrance/exit drive intersections. Illustrate the site distance triangles on the landscape plan to demonstrate that plantings and site improvements taller than twenty-four inches (24") are not contained within the clear view triangles (Code Reference: 10-14-10).

   F.   Landscape Standards: The landscape plan shall be prepared based on the following standards:

      1.   Plants materials shall comply with the recommendations and requirements of the ANSI 260.1-2014 "American Standards for Nursery Stock." All plants shall be healthy, vigorous stock suitable for the climate zone of the Village of Glen Carbon, commercially grown in a recognized nursery in accordance with good horticultural practices. All plant materials shall be free of disease, insects, eggs, larvae and defects such as knots, sunscald, injury, abrasions and disfigurement.

      2.   No plant materials shall be invasive species as identified by the Illinois Invasive Species Council.

      3.   The use of Illinois native plants and trees as identified by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Extension "Checklist of Illinois Native Trees" is strongly encouraged.

   G.   Approved Tree List: The following tree list includes approved trees to be used in the Village of Glen Carbon. Appropriate substitutions can be submitted for review by the Village's contracted landscape architect. All trees shall meet requirement F.1., ANSI Z60.1 - 2014. Common Illinois native trees are indicated by (native).

 

   H.   Minimum Size of Planting and Tree: Provide quality landscape materials provided at an appropriate spacing (density) and minimum installed size:

      1.   Canopy trees - two and a half inch (2-1/2") caliper minimum.

      2.   Small deciduous trees - two and a half inch (2.5") caliper minimum.

      3.   Flowering trees- two inch (2") single stem, eight feet (8') tall clump, or one and a half (1.5") caliper multi-stem minimum.

      4.   Evergreen trees - eight foot (8') height minimum.

      5.   Shrubs - twenty-four inch (24") height minimum.

      6.   Perennials/forbs/grasses - #1 minimum.

      7.   Groundcover - one (1) qt minimum. (Ord. 96-21, 9-10-1996; amd. Ord. 2008-37, 11-25-2008; Ord. 2023-32, 11-14-2023)

   A.   Residential Development: Residential developments proposed over mined areas should acquire insurance for mine subsidence.

   B.   Commercial And Industrial Developments: Commercial and industrial developments should avoid lands located over mined areas. Such developments shall provide information on the possibility of mine subsidence to all tenants prior to leasing space in commercial or industrial buildings. (Ord. 96-21, 9-10-1996)