This article is established to create uniform landscape, buffering, and tree planting standards for the development of property in accordance with the site plan review process. These standards are intended to ensure that the city remains an attractive community in which to reside and operate a business, and to enhance the character of existing and new development. It is also the intent of this article to safeguard the ecological and aesthetic environment of the community.

(Ord. No. 21-5231, § 2, 4-12-2021)

(a)

Applicability. The following site development standards shall apply to all new construction (excluding single-family) requiring site plan review. All development along arterial streets shall be reviewed and approved by a landscape professional selected by the city.

(b)

Building to site relationship.

(1)

Preservation of natural elements. Site design shall minimize disruption of existing natural features, and wherever possible incorporate them into the overall design concept and ensure that the natural drainage on the site is not diverted from existing points of exit, and the rate of runoff at all points of exit shall remain consistent with previous rates at each point of exit and that overall velocity at which runoff is discharged is not affected and employ erosion control methods during construction.

(c)

Specific areas to be preserved. The following specific areas shall be preserved as undeveloped open space, or shall be mitigated:

(1)

Wetlands as described in section 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 (33 USC 1344) and delineated on wetlands maps prepared by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, verified by on-site inspection.

(2)

Lands in a designated flood plain or floodway (section 110-547, shorelines and watercourses).

(3)

Significant trees with a caliper of six inches or greater, or stands of trees.

(4)

Natural vegetation cover on all portions of the site outside designated construction zones.

(5)

Habitats of endangered wildlife as identified by the federal and/or state department of conservation.

(d)

Service/utility areas. All service and utility areas which include, but are not limited to, loading docks, exterior storage areas, dumpsters and mechanical equipment such as plumbing vent stacks, HVAC equipment, transformers, fans and cooling towers, shall be screened from view by:

(1)

Locating all service/utility areas away from public rights-of-way and concealing them from building entrances, pedestrian areas and adjacent residential structures.

(2)

Providing for joint use of service areas by multiple adjoining buildings.

(3)

Incorporating trash enclosures into building design.

(4)

Preventing dumpsters in the middle of open spaces, parking lots or along circulation paths.

(5)

Screening utility service areas from public view with building elements similar in appearance and construction materials to the main structure.

(6)

Providing below ground utility connections for all new developments.

(7)

Screening rooftop mechanical equipment from view from adjoining properties by building elements such as parapet walls.

(8)

Permanent or temporary outdoor storage or display of inventory, business vehicles or personal vehicles is permitted subject to section 110-203, outdoor storage.

(e)

Public spaces and paths. Public spaces and paths intended for pedestrian use should be designed to incorporate natural features, building, and landscape elements to create safe and comfortable environments.

(1)

All areas intended for pedestrian use shall be lighted.

(2)

Pedestrian paths and/or sidewalks should be clearly distinguished from vehicular paths by landscaping, paving materials, striping and/or architectural elements.

(Ord. No. 21-5231, § 2, 4-12-2021)

The following shall establish the standards for the preparation and submission of required plans for landscaping, buffering and tree preservation:

(1)

Landscape plan required. A landscape plan shall be required for all projects (excluding single-family) requiring site plan review approval.

(2)

Contents of landscape plan. At a minimum, all landscape plans shall include or have attached thereto the following information:

a.

Titled "Landscape Plan," name and location of project, name/address/phone number/email address of project developer, location and names of abutting streets and rights-of-way, graphic and written scale, date of plan and any subsequent revision. The landscape plan shall be drawn at a scale not smaller than one inch equals 20 feet.

b.

Each site plan shall be accompanied by an analysis of the site describing topography; existing vegetation, existing structures and road networks; visual features; and present use of the site.

c.

The location and dimensions of all existing and proposed property lines, buildings, structures, parking lots and driveways, roadways and rights-of-way, easements, sidewalks, bicycle paths, refuse disposal areas, fences, freestanding electrical equipment, light fixtures, other surface utility structures including storm drains and utility inlets, signs and other freestanding structural features, recreational facilities, setbacks and easements.

d.

The location, quantity, installation size, mature size, and both scientific and common names of all proposed plant materials.

e.

Existing and proposed contours, including the location, slope ratios (horizontal: vertical) of all proposed berms, at one-foot contour intervals. Location, extent and general elevations and slope ratios of all detention and retention areas and drainage ways. The elevations at top and bottom of all proposed retaining and screening walls and fences.

f.

The designation, location, type and size of all existing trees six inches and larger in diameter measured six inches above natural grade. Any trees to be removed should be clearly identified. In the event a significant number of trees exist in concentrated areas on the site, the boundaries of the tree grove/forest or woodland area shall be shown with only trees ten inches and larger in diameter indicated within the woodland area.

g.

Details of all fences and walls proposed to be constructed on the site.

h.

Elevation, cross sections and other site of construction details determined to be necessary by the building official and/or zoning administrator.

i.

Quantities indicating the number and total square feet of parking areas, percentage and number of square feet of the interior parking lot landscape area, total linear length of buffer yards, plant quantities provided within buffer yards, and number of square feet provided for property's interior open space.

j.

A statement clearly indicating that all landscaping requirements have been satisfied. If requirements are expressed as a percentage or ratio, then it should be demonstrated that such percentages and ratios have been satisfied.

(Ord. No. 21-5231, § 2, 4-12-2021)

This division shall establish standards for the landscape improvements required to be installed as part of the development of new buildings, structures and uses of land requiring site plan review (excludes additions or alterations to existing buildings).

(Ord. No. 21-5231, § 2, 4-12-2021)

For all sites excluding single-family residential, a minimum of 15 percent of total land area of the parcel shall be devoted to landscaped open space. The requirements contained in this article shall also not apply to the B-1 zone except to the extent practical based upon the open space remaining after building construction. Stormwater detention and retention areas may be included as open space.

(1)

Detention and retention basins and ponds. Detention and retention basins and ponds shall be landscaped and shall include shade and ornamental trees, evergreens, shrubs, hedges and other live planting materials. Native plant species are preferred.

(2)

Variances. The city recognizes that, because of the wide variety of types of developments and the relationships between them, it is neither possible nor prudent to establish inflexible landscape requirements. Therefore, the city may allow variances to satisfy the standards set forth in this article.

(Ord. No. 21-5231, § 2, 4-12-2021)

This article regulates landscaping of four distinct areas of a parcel as follows:

(1)

Interior parkway (front yard).

(2)

Buffer yards (side and rear yards).

(3)

Parking lots (on and off sites).

(4)

Site interior (adjacent to building walls).

Each area shall be landscaped in accordance with the criteria in this division.

(Ord. No. 21-5231, § 2, 4-12-2021)

Interior parkway planting is required on developments in order to achieve two goals: (i) to screen vehicles which may be viewed from the public rights-of-way, and (ii) to enhance the image and character of the city along roadway corridors.

(1)

Multiple-family residential districts.

a.

In multiple-family residential areas, there shall be a minimum 15 feet interior parkway provided adjacent to all public rights-of-way.

b.

Shade trees shall be planted at a quantity of not less than one tree for every 40 linear feet of frontage parallel to and within the right of way, interior parkway, or within the first ten feet of the front property line.

c.

All surface areas of interior parkways shall be sodded or seeded where not otherwise planted.

d.

Where parking lots providing for five or more parking spaces are in view of the public right-of-way, there shall be installed within the interior parkway:

1.

One three-inch caliper shade tree for every 30 linear feet of parkway frontage.

2.

A 100 percent screen of the parking lot frontage to a minimum height of three feet, except for where vehicular sight lines may be impaired. Screening will consist of one or a combination of the following:

i.

Masonry walls compatible with proposed building material and design and landscaped as a foundation wall.

ii.

Ornamental and evergreen trees, shrubs and ground covers. At a minimum, 30 percent of a planted screen shall be evergreen.

(2)

Commercial districts.

a.

Commercial developments shall provide at minimum a ten-foot wide interior parkway adjacent to all public rights-of-way.

b.

Shade trees shall be planted at a quantity of not less than one tree for every 40 linear feet of frontage parallel to and within the right-of-way or interior parkway.

c.

All surface areas of interior parkways shall be sodded where not otherwise planted.

d.

Where parking lots providing for five or more parking spaces are in view of the public right-of-way, there shall be installed:

1.

At minimum, one eight-foot ornamental or evergreen tree for every 30 feet of parkway frontage.

2.

A 100 percent screen of the parking lot frontage to a minimum height of three feet in the interior parkway, except for where vehicular sight lines may be impaired. Screening will consist of one or a combination of the following:

i.

Masonry walls compatible with proposed building materials and design and landscaped as a foundation wall.

ii.

An earth berm to a minimum height of three feet and minimum slope of 3:1.

iii.

Ornamental and evergreen trees, shrubs and ground covers. At a minimum, 30 percent of a planted screen shall be evergreen.

(3)

Industrial districts.

a.

Industrial properties, and properties located in the I-1 light industrial district and I-2 heavy industrial district, shall provide a minimum 50-foot wide interior parkway adjacent to all public rights-of-way.

b.

Shade trees shall be planted at a quantity of not less than one tree for every 40 linear feet of frontage parallel to and within the right-of-way, interior parkway, or within the first ten feet of the front property line.

c.

All surface areas of interior parkways shall be sodded where not otherwise planted.

d.

Where parking lots providing for five or more parking spaces are in view of the public right-of-way, the developer shall provide within the parkway:

1.

At minimum, one eight-foot ornamental or evergreen tree for every 30 feet of parkway frontage.

2.

A 100 percent screen of the parking lot frontage to a minimum height of three feet, except for where vehicular sight lines may be impaired. Screening will consist of one or a combination of the following:

i.

Masonry walls compatible with proposed building design and materials and landscaped as a foundation wall.

ii.

Ornamental and evergreen trees, shrubs and ground covers. At a minimum, 30 percent of a planted screen shall be evergreen.

iii.

An earth berm to a minimum height of three feet and minimum slope of 3:1.

(4)

Additional requirements in all districts. Interior parkways shall also contain shade, ornamental and evergreen trees, shrubs and ground covers along with earth berms in quantities and heights adequate to substantially screen on-site storage and service/utility areas from view of public rights-of-way.

(Ord. No. 21-5231, § 2, 4-12-2021)

All developments shall create a substantial buffer between land uses promoting a sense of privacy and security. Buffers may be composed of landscape plantings, earth berms and screen fencing as required for intended land use, as described below:

(1)

Multiple-family residential districts.

a.

A minimum 15-foot wide planting strip shall be provided along the entire length of the buffer yard, except where cross access, utilities or special circumstances prohibit.

b.

At minimum, 30 percent of the length of the buffer yard shall be planted with four-foot high shrubs. Shrubs are intended to be planted in groupings or hedges throughout the buffer yard.

c.

Twenty-five percent of all required shrubs and trees shall be evergreen.

d.

There shall be a minimum total quantity of one 2.5-inch caliper tree provided for every 50 feet lineal feet of buffer yard. Spacing of the required trees may vary according to design intent.

e.

There shall be a minimum total quantity of one eight-foot high ornamental/evergreen tree provided for every 80 feet of lineal length of buffer strip.

f.

Earth berms at a maximum slope of 3:1 should be incorporated along a minimum of 75 percent of the linear length of the buffer strip.

(2)

Business districts.

a.

Business property abutting residential property.

1.

A minimum 25-foot wide planting strip shall be provided along the entire length of the buffer yard, except where cross access, utilities or special circumstances prohibit.

2.

There shall be a screen fence or wall of wood or other approved material six-feet high and at least 75 percent opaque, installed along the entire length of the buffer yard.

3.

At minimum, 25 percent of the buffer strip linear length shall be planted with shrubs three feet or greater in height.

4.

At minimum, 25 percent of all required shrubs shall be evergreen.

5.

There shall be a minimum quantity of one 2.5-inch caliper tree provided for every 60 linear feet of the buffer yard. Spacing of required trees may vary according to design intent.

6.

Up to 25 percent of the trees may be ornamental or evergreen trees.

b.

Business property abutting business or industrial property. One or both of the following alternatives should be used:

1.

A minimum ten-foot wide planting strip shall be provided along the entire length of the buffer yard, except where cross access, utilities or special circumstances prohibit.

2.

At minimum, 30 percent of the buffer strip linear length shall be planted with shrubs three feet or greater in height.

3.

At minimum, 25 percent of all required shrubs shall be evergreen.

4.

There shall be a minimum quantity of one 2.5-inch caliper tree provided for every 65 feet of buffer strip linear length. Spacing of required trees may vary according to design intent.

5.

Up to 25 percent of the trees may be ornamental or evergreen trees.

6.

At minimum, 30 percent of the buffer strip linear length shall be earth berms to a minimum height of three feet and a maximum slope of 3:1 (vertical: horizontal).

(3)

Industrial districts.

a.

Industrial property abutting residential property.

1.

A minimum 50-foot wide planting strip shall be provided along the entire length of the buffer yard, except where cross access, utilities or special circumstances prohibit.

2.

A screened fence or wall constructed of wood or other approved material being a minimum of six feet high and 75 percent opaque must be installed along the entire length of the buffer yard.

3.

At minimum, 25 percent of the buffer strip linear length shall be planted with shrubs three feet or greater in height.

4.

At minimum, 25 percent of all required shrubs shall be evergreen.

5.

There shall be a minimum quantity of one 2.5-inch caliper tree provided for every 40 linear feet of the buffer yard. Spacing of required trees may vary according to design intent.

6.

Up to 25 percent of the trees may be ornamental or evergreen trees.

b.

Industrial property abutting business property. One or both of the following alternatives should be used:

1.

A minimum 15-foot wide planting strip shall be provided along the entire length of the buffer yard, except where cross access, utilities or special circumstances prohibit.

2.

There shall be a screen fence or wall of wood or other approved material six feet high and at least 75 percent opaque, to screen any open storage areas.

3.

There shall be a minimum quantity of one 2.5-inch caliper tree provided for every 60 feet of buffer strip linear length. Spacing of required trees may vary according to design intent.

4.

Up to 25 percent of the trees may be ornamental or evergreen trees.

5.

At minimum, 50 percent of the buffer strip linear length shall be earth berms to a minimum height of three feet at a maximum slope of 3:1 (vertical: horizontal).

c.

Industrial property abutting industrial property.

1.

A minimum ten-foot wide planting strip shall be provided along the entire length of the buffer yard, except where cross access, utilities or special circumstances prohibit.

2.

A minimum of 30 percent the length of the buffer yard shall be planted with shrubs four feet or greater in height.

3.

There shall be a minimum quantity of one 2.5-inch caliper shade tree provided for every 70 linear feet of the buffer yard. Spacing of required trees may vary according to design intent.

4.

Up to 25 percent of the shade trees may be ornamental or evergreen trees.

(Ord. No. 21-5231, § 2, 4-12-2021)

(a)

Off-street parking areas shall not be allowed to dominate the image of any development. Parking lots serving all districts shall be lighted and landscaped. Parking lots serving or adjacent to residential developments shall be located to the rear or sides of buildings. All parking areas shall be located within 1,000 feet of the entrances to the buildings they are designated to serve.

(b)

Landscaping shall be provided within all parking lots containing 20 or more parking spaces. Parking lot plantings are intended to provide screening, shade, subdivide space, and reduce glare and heat from pavement surfaces by meeting the following standards:

(c)

Each parking row, regardless of its length, shall have a landscaped island at each end. Islands may be omitted to the extent necessary to ensure conformance with the required number of off-street parking spaces in article X, off-street parking and loading, of this chapter. Landscape islands may be omitted in parking areas primarily used by trucks.

(d)

There shall be a minimum total quantity of one three-inch caliper shade tree for every ten parking spaces.

(e)

All parking lots or portions of parking lots adjacent to buffer yards or interior parkways, and which are also adjacent to any residential property, shall be screened from view along its entire length.

(f)

Parking lots and driveways shall have cast-in-place, concrete, barrier-type curb wherever they are adjacent to landscaping and/or green space, and around the entire perimeter of the parking lot.

(g)

Parking lot landscape islands shall maintain a 30-inch clear area measured from face of curb to vehicular overhang. This may be provided through the use of concrete carriage walks or the planting of ground cover or sod.

(h)

All parking lot island planters should be over-excavated to a two-foot depth for their entire width and length, backfilled with an appropriate mix of topsoil, peat moss and nutrients to replace the excavated material, and shall be compacted, leaving a crowned or mounded top.

(i)

Parking lot landscape islands shall have a minimum width of seven-feet measured from back of curb to back of curb) and a depth equal to the depth of the parking stall.

(j)

Parking lot layout and planting designs shall account for and provide adequate room within buffer yard and/or interior parkway areas for snow storage.

(k)

Berms in parking islands shall not exceed a maximum slope of 2:1.

(l)

To ensure visibility all tree branching shall start no less than six feet above the parking lot pavement level, and shrubs shall not exceed a mature height of 30 inches above parking lot pavement level at the end of parking rows.

(m)

To break up large expanses of parking, landscape islands shall be required such that no parking space may be greater than 90 linear feet away from either a landscape island or landscaping within a buffer yard, interior parkway or site interior landscaping. To achieve these objectives, one or both of the following options shall be used:

(1)

Option A. A continuous curbed landscape island between rows of parking shall be provided. When such a continuous island is provided, it shall be a minimum of seven feet in width and contain a minimum of one three-inch caliper shade tree for every 20 parking spaces.

(2)

Option B. A maximum of 20 parking spaces shall be permitted in length of any parking row. A curbed island at least seven feet wide and as deep as the parking stalls shall be provided to divide the row length. There shall be a minimum of one three-inch caliper shade tree for each island.

(Ord. No. 21-5231, § 2, 4-12-2021)

(a)

Generally. Site interior landscaping shall utilize plant materials, earth berms and other elements to screen and aesthetically enhance site and buildings, through the implementation of the standards in this section.

(b)

Foundation planting.

(1)

A minimum four-foot wide landscape area shall be provided along 50 percent of building walls (excluding driveways, entrance areas, patios and decks).

(2)

One hundred percent of the required landscape area shall be planted with a mixture of ornamental and evergreen trees, shrubs and ground cover (excluding sod).

(3)

Required plantings shall emphasize the softening of large expanses of the building walls, accent building entrances and architectural features, and screen mechanical equipment adjacent to buildings.

(Ord. No. 21-5231, § 2, 4-12-2021)

The following varieties of plants are restricted from use in any areas covered by this chapter.

(Ord. No. 21-5231, § 2, 4-12-2021)

The city encourages the use of native plant species indigenous to Rochelle. The following varieties of plants, while not required, are recommended for use in areas covered by this chapter.

(Ord. No. 21-5231, § 2, 4-12-2021)

This section outlines guidelines for the installation of all landscape material.

(1)

Most small, deciduous trees may be moved bare rooted unless otherwise indicated. Roots of bare-rooting trees must be protected against drying out.

(2)

All coniferous trees shall be moved balled and burlapped. Balled roots should be prevented from drying out at the surface of their ball, and they should be protected from freezing.

(3)

Pits for the planting of bare root plans shall be least 12 inches larger in diameter than the diameter of the root system in order to accommodate the roots without crowding. For balled trees, the pits should be a minimum of 12 inches larger than the diameter of the ball of soil to allow proper backfill.

(4)

Plants shall be planted no deeper than previously grown with due allowance for settling.

(5)

In planting containers, artificial drainage shall be provided for the root system of any species intolerant of wet sites, or a species tolerant to wet sites shall be used.

(6)

Topsoil, compost, peat moss or an acceptable soil mixture may be placed about the roots of bare root stock or in the backfill around balled stock. When the planting is completed, the entire root system shall be thoroughly saturated with water and cord and burlap wrapping shall be cut and/or removed.

(7)

Although pruning should be done to develop a balance with the root system, excessive pruning at the time of transplanting should be avoided.

(8)

Tree trunks shall be suitably wrapped and guyed, or supported in an upright position, according to accepted arboricultural practices. The guys or support shall be installed so that they will neither girdle nor cause serious injury to the tree nor endanger public safety.

(Ord. No. 21-5231, § 2, 4-12-2021)

All required landscaping materials, both living and nonliving, shall be in place prior to the time of issuance of a final certificate of occupancy (section 110-28, certificates of occupancy), weather permitting.

(1)

Bond. In periods of adverse weather conditions, a temporary certificate of occupancy may be issued, subject to the posting of a cash escrow or irrevocable letter of credit in an amount equal to 1.5 times the estimated cost of the landscaping, with said estimated cost to be certified by a landscape contractor. The cash escrow or irrevocable letter of credit may be forfeited if the landscaping is not completed within one year after the issuance of the temporary certificate. Forfeiture of any cash escrow or irrevocable letter of credit shall not relieve the owner of the responsibility to complete the required landscaping. The performance guarantee shall also be accompanied by a statement of the owner giving the city the right to enter upon the property to complete the required landscaping in the case of forfeiture.

(2)

Maintenance. Trees, shrubs, and other landscaping materials depicted on landscaping plans approved by the city shall be considered to be elements of the project in the same manner as parking, building materials and other details. The developer, its successor and/or subsequent owners and their agents shall be responsible for maintenance of landscaping on the property on a continuing basis for the life of the development. Plant materials which exhibit evidence of insect pests, disease and/or damage shall be appropriately treated, and dead plants promptly remove and replaced within the next planting season after installation. All landscaping will be subject to periodic inspection by the building official, or his/her designee. Should landscaping not be installed, maintained and replaced as needed to comply with the approved plan, the owner and its agent or agents shall be considered in violation of the terms of the certificate of occupancy. The construction engineer is empowered to enforce the terms of this article.

(Ord. No. 21-5231, § 2, 4-12-2021)

(a)

A written application for administrative relief of the requirements may be filed with the building permit. Ten copies of the application and all supporting documentation shall be submitted. Such application shall be submitted with the landscape plan and demonstrate the following:

(1)

The strict application of the regulation in question is unreasonable given the development proposal or the measures proposed by the applicant, or that the property has extraordinary or exceptional physical conflicts that do not generally exist in nearby properties in the same zoning district and such conditions will not allow a reasonable use of the property in absence of relief.

(2)

The zoning administrator may or may not approve minor exceptions to this article. Such decisions may be appealed to the planning and zoning commission as provided in section 110-33, appeals, of this chapter.

(3)

An application may be made following the initial submission of a landscape plan to propose alternatives or changes to the approved plan or any plans pending approval, or as may be requested by the city. Any alterations or changes to a landscape plan upon resubmission to the building official or zoning administrator shall include plan copies required above, together with a written statement indicating all changes made and a revision block on the face of the plan indicating each date of revision.

(4)

All plan changes shall be represented on the face of the plan by notation encompassing the area of change and with reference to the written statement of changes. Except where changes are noted, the content of the plan is presumed to be that of the last plan accepted by the building official or zoning administrator.

(5)

The building official or zoning administrator may reject any plan changes where insufficient documentation of the location and nature of the changes lend the proposed revisions uninterpretable.

(b)

Any proposed changes to a landscape plan following final action on the plan shall constitute a new application subject to the procedures and requirements of this article.

(Ord. No. 21-5231, § 2, 4-12-2021)