For the purpose of this section, "vehicular use areas" shall be the area of the portion of the lot paved for use as parking lots and driveways.

(Code 1985, § 8(4.7-10))

Provisions requiring screening and landscaping for business and industrial uses (B and I districts) within the village which contain more than seven parking spaces as set forth in article VIII of this chapter, are intended and established to promote the safety and appearance of the environment, and to preserve real estate values in the village.

(Code 1985, § 8(4.7-1))

A professionally prepared landscaping plan shall be required and approved by the village board or its designee as part of the zoning analysis to the issuance of any building permit in the village.

(Code 1985, § 8(4.7-2))

In addition to the requirements otherwise set forth in this Code, all landscaping plans shall contain the following information:

(1)

Date, scale, north arrow and title block;

(2)

Size, quantity, species and location of plant material utilized, including common and botanical names;

(3)

Land elevations at one-foot contour intervals for areas to be bermed, sloped or terraced; and

(4)

Elevations or sections of any fences, retaining walls or other site improvements.

(Code 1985, § 8(4.7-3))

(a)

Plant material utilized in the village in conformance with the requirements of this article shall be consistent with the standard nomenclature as set forth by the American Joint Committee on Horticultural Nomenclature and the American Association of Nurserymen.

(b)

All landscape work and material shall be in accordance with the specifications found in the latest edition of Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction of the Illinois Department of Transportation.

(c)

Unless such responsibility is apportioned differently by agreement of the property owner and his tenants, the owner shall be responsible for the maintenance of all landscaping which shall be maintained in good condition so as to present a healthy, neat and orderly appearance, and shall be kept free from refuse and debris. Failure to maintain landscaping in good condition or to replace dead plant material required by this article within 30 days after the date specified by the village board or its designee shall constitute a violation of this chapter, and the owner may be penalized as set forth in section 1-15 of this Code.

(Code 1985, § 8(4.7-3))

Existing natural landforms that could separate parking from abutting properties, divide pedestrians from vehicular traffic or otherwise enhance the safety or aesthetics of a site within the village may be incorporated within required landscaping, and shall be considered as positive attributes in connection with requests for variances from the requirements of this article.

(1)

A ten-foot parking lot setback is required where a parking lot of four parking spaces or more abuts a public right-of-way. The setback shall be landscaped according to the following:

a.

Nonresidential landscaped buffers. Where nonresidential properties are across the right-of-way from property zoned or planned for residential use, landscaping the ten-foot setback shall consist of a minimum of a three-foot high barrier, using berms, if feasible, and shrubs or trees with a minimum diameter of two inches, distributed across 100 percent of the entire frontage of the site, excluding driveways, in a design satisfactory to the village board or its designee. The three-foot height shall be measured from the crown of the road or the edge of the right-of-way, whichever is less.

b.

Nonresidential across from nonresidential. Where nonresidential properties are across the right-of-way from property zoned for nonresidential use, landscaping of the ten-foot setback shall consist of a three-foot high barrier, using berms, if feasible, and shrubs or trees with a minimum diameter of two inches, distributed across 50 percent of the entire frontage of the site, excluding driveways, in a design satisfactory to the village board or its designee. The three-foot height shall be measured from the crown of the road or the edge of the right-of-way, whichever is less.

(2)

Specific landscaping buffer requirements to separate parking areas from abutting properties shall be as follows:

a.

Nonresidential abutting residential. Along the entire portion of the property line, where nonresidential properties abut property zoned or planned for residential use, a landscaping buffer of at least ten feet in width shall be provided on the nonresidential property. The ground cover of the landscaped buffer shall consist of at least 50 percent live landscaping. The fence shall be installed prior to issuance of an occupancy permit.

b.

Nonresidential abutting nonresidential. Where nonresidential property abuts a nonresidential property, landscaped areas shall have a minimum width of ten feet, and an aggregate minimum depth equal to 20 percent of the building setback distance. The ground cover of the landscaped areas shall consist of at least 50 percent live landscaping.

(Code 1985, § 8(4.7-5))

For developments with more than 20 parking spaces, interior landscaping, in an amount of not less than five percent of the vehicular use area, shall be provided.

(Code 1985, § 8(4.7-6))

Interior landscaped areas within the village must be a minimum of 165 square feet, and shall be effectively distributed throughout the vehicular use area in a design satisfactory to the village board or its designee. The ground cover of interior landscaped areas must contain at least 50 percent live landscaping. At least one tree with a minimum diameter of two inches, or, alternatively, a shrub cluster, as approved by the village board or its designee, shall be provided for each 165 square feet of interior landscaping area. Ornamental decorations, such as sculptures, rock formations or gazebos may constitute landscaping for the balance, subject to the design review of the village board or its designee.

(Code 1985, § 8(4.7-7))

All refuse dumpster areas within the village must be screened by a fence, wall or densely packed hedge of at least six feet but not greater than seven feet in height, to obstruct the view of such areas from the passing public and surrounding properties, or a combination of both as required by the village board.

(Code 1985, § 8(4.7-8))

All newly established parkway areas within the village shall be planted as follows:

(1)

Parkway trees. There shall be one tree per inside lot and two trees per corner lot. The type of tree shall be limited to those varieties approved by the director of public works and the village board. Trees must be at least ten feet from any driveway.

(2)

Tree caliper. Newly planted street trees shall be at least 2½ inches in caliper, measured six inches from the ground.

(3)

Prohibited trees. The planting of the following varieties of tree within public rights of way shall be prohibited:

Soft Maple (Acer disycarpum) in varieties
Poplar (Populus) all varieties
Willow (Salix) all varieties
Box Elder (Acer Negundo) all varieties
Catalpa (Catalpa)
Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus) all varieties
Mountain Ash (Sorbus) all varieties
Mulberry (Morus Alba) in variety
Chinese Elm (Ulmis Parvifulia) All varieties

(4)

Plant materials.

a.

All planted materials shall conform to the current edition (ANSIZ60.1) of the American Standard for Nursery Stock as approved by the American National Standards Institute, Inc.

b.

Plant materials may be inspected prior to installation by the director of public works, or his duly authorized representative. Certification of the species of trees planted may be required. All materials are to be of the highest quality.

c.

All plant material shall have been grown under climatic conditions similar to those in Northern Illinois.

d.

All plants shall be freshly dug. All plant shall be typical of their species or variety and shall be sound, healthy, and vigorous, well-branched and densely foliated when in leaf. They shall be free of disease, insect pests and larvae. They shall have healthy, well-developed root systems. Trees with distorted shapes, large curves in truck or other defects will not be allowed.

(5)

Replacement. The person(s) responsible shall replace trees that are destroyed by vehicle accident or any other act, such as vandalism, by a tree of like kind and total diameter. The person(s) causing the damage or destruction of the tree or his insurance company shall reimburse the village for the cost to install the tree necessary to replace the total diameter of the tree destroyed.

(Code 1985, § 8(4.7-9); Ord. No. 2004-01, § 1, 4-19-2004)

If landscaping, sidewalks, parking lots and other external improvements within the village are not completed at the time of issuance of an occupancy permit, a letter of credit in an amount equal to the uncompleted work, as determined by the village board, shall be supplied to the village. The owner of the property upon which the uncompleted work is located and the village board will determine the completion date for such work; however, the date shall not exceed one year after the date of occupancy of the building.

(Code 1985, § 8(4.7-11))

It shall be the responsibility of the village board or its designee to enforce the provisions of this article; however, the village board, at its sole discretion, may utilize the services of a consulting landscape architect to review any plans and/or specifications for conformance to this Code. The village shall be reimbursed by the property owner for any such expense incurred by the village.

(Code 1985, § 8(4.7-12))