It is the intent of this article to specify landscape requirements for all land uses requiring site-plan review, and to provide for landscape techniques to achieve compatibility between abutting and adjacent uses, including public and private streets. The regulations in this article are designed to have flexibility taking into account the high percentage of already developed property and the wide variation in the size of existing lots. The landscape regulations in this article are further intended to promote the public health, safety and general welfare by reducing noise, air, and visual pollution, air temperature, and light glare; improve air quality; prevent soil erosion and increase water retention; improve the appearance of on-premises parking, vehicular-use areas, and property abutting public rights-of-way; improve the aesthetics and safety of pedestrian sidewalks, both within paved areas and along public rights-of-way; require buffering between non-compatible land uses; protect residential privacy; and, encourage native landscape materials.

(Code 2007, § 150.191)

All uses requiring a sketch site plan or full site plan shall comply with the requirements contained in this chapter.

(Code 2007, § 150.192)

(a)

Required front yard setbacks with no parking or paved areas. Required front yard setbacks shall contain one tree or one evergreen tree for each 100 feet of linear street frontage. Landscaping design must follow standards set in section 119-412. Spacing and grouping to be determined by designer.

(b)

Ongoing maintenance. All landscaping approved as part of the site plan shall be required to be maintained on a permanent basis.

(c)

Wall or fence materials. Wherever a wall or fence is required the village planning commission may specify the required materials.

(Code 2007, § 150.193)

(a)

Required parking lot perimeter landscape screening from public streets. All districts shall provide a landscape screen as follows:

(1)

Minimum width. Five feet behind the property line or 20 feet behind the curbline or inside ditch line whichever is the greater.

(2)

Required trees. One tree per 50 feet of linear frontage. Spacing to be determined by designer.

(b)

Required parking lot perimeter landscape screening where abutting residential. When a parking lot which contains four parking spaces or more, or loading area directly abuts a residentially zoned or occupied lot, a continuous screening wall, berm, fence or row of planting having a minimum height of six feet high shall be provided.

(Code 2007, § 150.194)

Parking lots in all districts having more than 30 parking spaces shall be required to provide the following landscape improvements internal to the parking lot:

(1)

Five percent of the entire parking lot area shall be provided as a landscape area;

(2)

One tree shall be provided for each 1,000 square feet of internal landscape area;

(3)

Internal landscape areas shall be dispersed on the site so as to break up the expanse of pavement; and

(4)

Internal landscape areas shall be curbed for protection of the landscape materials.

(Code 2007, § 150.195)

(a)

Multiple family residential abutting single-family residential uses or zoning district. Where multiple family residential projects with more than eight units (excluding single-family cluster developments) are abutting lots which are used or zoned for single-family residential purposes, a landscape screen shall be provided as follows: A landscape screening area having a minimum width of ten feet shall be provided by the multifamily project on the shared border. The buffer area shall consist of natural landscape materials such as lawn, ground cover, shrubs, and trees, and shall not contain impervious materials. One tree shall be provided for every 40 feet of lot line shared with a residentially used or zoned property with spacing to be determined by the village. An opaque wall, berm, or fence shall be provided with a minimum height of six feet. The village planning commission may waive the requirement for a screening wall or fence if a dense planting screen is proposed as a substitute. If a vegetative screen is proposed, it shall be six feet in height at the time of planting.

(b)

Commercial uses abutting residential uses or zoning district. The following screening features shall be provided by any commercial development which abuts either directly or across an alley from any residentially used or zoned property: A landscape screening area having a minimum width of five feet shall be provided by the commercial property on the shared border. The buffer area shall consist of natural landscape materials such as lawn, ground cover, shrubs, and trees, and shall not contain impervious materials. One tree shall be provided for every 35 feet of lot line shared with a residentially used or zoned property with spacing to be determined by the village. An opaque wall, berm, or fence shall be provided with a minimum height of six feet. The village planning commission may waive the requirement for a screening wall or fence if a dense planting screen is proposed as a substitute. If a vegetative screen is proposed, it shall be six feet in height at the time of planting.

(c)

Industrial uses abutting residential uses or zoning district. The following screening features shall be provided by any industrial use which abuts either directly or across an alley from a residentially used or zoned property: A landscape screening area having a minimum width of 15 feet shall be provided by the industrial property on the shared border. The buffer area shall consist of natural landscape materials such as lawn, ground cover, shrubs, and trees, and shall not contain impervious materials. One tree shall be provided for every 30 feet of lot line shared with a residentially used or zoned property with spacing to be determined by the village. An opaque wall, berm, or fence shall be provided with a minimum height of six feet. The city planning commission may waive the requirement for a screening wall or fence if a dense planting screen is proposed as a substitute. If a vegetative screen is proposed, it shall be six feet in height at the time of planting.

(d)

Industrial uses abutting commercial uses or zoning district. The following screening features shall be provided by any industrial use which abuts either directly or across an alley from a commercially used or zoned property: A landscape screening area having a minimum width of ten feet shall be provided by the industrial property on the shared border. The buffer area shall consist of natural landscape materials such as lawn, ground cover, shrubs, and trees, and shall not contain impervious materials. One tree shall be provided for every 40 feet of lot line shared with a commercially used or zoned property with spacing to be determined by the village. An opaque wall, berm, or fence shall be provided with a minimum height of six feet. The village planning commission may waive the requirement for a screening wall or fence if a dense planting screen is proposed as a substitute. If a vegetative screen is proposed, it shall be six feet in height at the time of planting.

(Code 2007, § 150.196)

(a)

All plant material shall be hardy to the area, free of disease and insects. The use of trees native to the area and midwestern Illinois, and mixture of trees from the same species association, is encouraged.

(b)

Species permitted. Landscape vegetation shall be hardy to midwestern Illinois, be free of disease and insects. Chinese elm, box-elder, silver maple, willow, poplar, and similar fast-growing brittle wood species which are usually subject to attack by insects and disease shall be prohibited. Native vegetation is encouraged.

(Code 2007, § 150.197)

(a)

Minimum sizes. Trees should have a trunk diameter, measured 12 inches above the ground, of not less than 1½ inches.

(b)

Plant material spacing. Except for buffer zone provisions of section 119-410, plant materials shall not be placed closer than four feet from the fence line or property line. Landscaped areas and plant materials required by ordinance shall be kept free from refuse and debris. Plant materials, including lawn, shall be maintained in a healthy growing condition, neat and orderly in appearance. If any plant material required by this article dies or becomes diseased, it shall be replaced immediately.

(c)

Tree stakes, guy wires and tree wrap are to be removed after one year after planting. All landscaped areas shall be provided with a readily available and acceptable water supply, or with at least one outlet located within 150 feet of all planted material to be maintained. Landscaping materials and arrangement shall ensure adequate Site visibility for motorists, adequate clearance for pedestrians and vehicles, and accessibility to fire hydrants. Landscaping within the site shall be approved in consideration of sight distance, size of planting area, location of sidewalks, maintenance of adequate overhead clearance, accessibility to fire hydrants, visibility to approved signs of adjacent uses, compatibility with the visual character of the surrounding area, maintenance-performance guarantee, and curbing around landscape areas. Plantings within 15 feet of a fire hydrant shall be no taller than six inches at maturity.

(Code 2007, § 150.198)

Special provision is made for applying these standards to improved sites which were developed prior to the village adopting these landscaping requirements. Therefore, when an existing site is undergoing any external alteration or expansion, the objective of these standards is to gradually bring the existing site into compliance with the minimum standards of this section in relation to the extent of expansion or change on a site. When reviewing plans for a change in use or expansion which requires site plan or sketch plan review, the zoning inspector or village plan commission, as appropriate, shall require an upgrade in landscaping, using the following as guidelines:

(1)

Each building expansion of one percent of gross floor area shall include at least four percent of the landscaping required for the entire site.

(2)

The calculations shall be based upon the landscaping requirements for all existing and proposed developments on the site.

(3)

All fractional calculations shall be rounded up.

(4)

The estimated cost of landscaping added shall generally be equal to at least five percent of the estimated value of the new construction.

(5)

Landscaping along the street and as a buffer between adjacent land uses will take priority over parking lot and site landscaping, particularly where there is no excess parking over that required by ordinance.

(6)

Where parking lot landscaping cannot be provided, additional landscaping along the street or in the buffer areas shall be considered.

(Code 2007, § 150.199)

The zoning board of appeals may grant a variance to all or part of the landscaping standards of this article upon the following criteria:

(1)

Existing landscaping, screening or wetlands intended to be preserved meets the intent of this article.

(2)

The landscape design proposed by the applicant meets the intent of this article.

(3)

There is a steep change in topography which would limit the benefits of required landscaping.

(4)

The proposed building and parking lot placement is setback well beyond the minimum required.

(5)

The abutting or adjacent land is developed or planned by the village for a use other than residential.

(6)

Similar conditions to the above exist such that no good purpose would be served by providing the landscaping or screening required.

(Code 2007, § 150.200)

All landscaping plans shall contain the information required to be shown for landscaping in site plans.

(Code 2007, § 150.201)