The landscaping and screening requirements established by this Article are intended to preserve and enhance the appearance, public health, safety and welfare of the County by fostering an aesthetically pleasing development. Proper landscaping contributes to the County in many ways: enhancing its character and scenic beauty, providing clean air, reducing noise, preventing erosion of topsoil, reducing the rate of stormwater runoff, providing nesting areas for birds and habitat for other wildlife, conserving energy, and providing shade and windbreaks. These regulations are also intended to increase the compatibility of adjacent uses, and minimize the adverse impact of noise, dust, motor vehicle headlight glare or other artificial light intrusions, and other objectionable activities or impacts conducted on, or created by, adjoining or neighboring uses.

No zoning permit, building permit or certificate of occupancy shall be issued for any lot or use subject to the requirements of this Article unless all the requirements of this Article have been fulfilled. Failure to implement the landscape plan, or to maintain the lot or use in substantial conformance with the landscape plan, shall be cause for revocation of the certificate of occupancy and/or the application of fines and penalties. In addition, all landscaping is subject to periodic inspection.

20.3.1 Landscape Plan Required. A landscape plan is required as part of a planned unit development or during site plan review, and must be approved prior to the issuance of a zoning or building permit.

20.3.2 Content of Landscape Plan.

A.

The location and dimensions of all existing and proposed structures, property lines, easements, parking lots and drives, roadways and right-of-way, sidewalks, signs, refuse disposal and recycling areas, sidewalks, bicycle paths and parking facilities, fences, electrical equipment, recreational facilities, drainage facilities, and other freestanding structures, as determined necessary by the Planning and Zoning Officer.

B.

The location, quantity, size, name and condition, both botanical and common, of all existing plant materials, including trees and other material in the right-of-way, and indicating plant material to be retained and removed.

C.

The location, quantity, size and name, both botanical and common, of all proposed plant material including, but not limited to, shade and evergreen trees, shrubs, groundcover, annuals/perennials and turf.

D.

The existing and proposed grading of the site, when required. Proposed berming shall be indicated using one (1) foot contour intervals.

E.

Elevations of all proposed fences, steps, stairs, retaining walls both fixed (cast concrete, unitized walls) and any natural rock outcroppings on the site.

F.

Elevations, cross-sections, and other details as determined necessary by the Planning and Zoning Officer.

20.3.3 Changes to Approved Landscape Plans. Changes to the landscape plan shall be approved by the Planning and Zoning Officer. In the event that another body approved the landscape plan, any changes shall be approved by the body granting approval of the landscape plan initially.

A.

Selection. All planting materials used shall be of good quality and meet American Association of Nurserymen (ANNS) standards for minimum acceptable form, quality and size for species selected, and capable to withstand the seasonal temperature variations, as well as the individual site microclimates. The use of species native to Northern Illinois is encouraged. Size and density of plant material, both at the time of planting and at maturity, are additional criteria that shall be considered when selecting plant material.

B.

Installation. All landscaping materials shall be installed in accordance with the current planting procedures established by the AANS. All plant materials shall be free of disease and shall be installed so that soil of sufficient volume, composition and nutrient balance are available to sustain healthy growth.

C.

Required Element. Landscape materials depicted on landscape plans approved by the County shall be considered to be required site plan elements in the same manner as structures, parking and other improvements. As such, the owner of record shall be responsible for the maintenance, repair and replacement of all landscape materials, and fences, steps, retaining walls and similar landscaping elements over the entire life of the development.

D.

Maintenance. All landscaping materials shall be maintained in good condition, shall present a healthy, neat and orderly appearance, and shall be kept free of refuse and debris. Any dead, unhealthy or missing plants shall be replaced within six (6) months of notification by the County. Fences, steps, retaining walls and similar landscaping elements shall be maintained in good repair. The owner of the premises shall be responsible for the maintenance, repair, and replacement of all landscape materials, fences, steps, retaining walls and similar landscaping elements, and refuse disposal areas. Irrigation systems, when provided, shall be maintained in good operating condition to promote the health of the plant material and the conservation of water.

Landscape plans, as described above, shall be evaluated and approved based on the following design criteria.

A.

Scale and Nature of Landscape Material. The scale and nature of landscape materials shall be appropriate to the size of the site and related structures.

B.

Selection of Plant Material. Plant material shall be selected for its form, texture, color, pattern of growth and suitability to local conditions.

C.

Shade Trees. All deciduous shade trees shall have a minimum trunk size of two and one-half (2.5) inches in caliper at planting, unless otherwise specified.

D.

Evergreen Trees. Evergreens trees shall have a minimum height of six (6) feet at planting and shall be incorporated into the landscape treatment of a site, particularly in those areas where year-round screening and buffering is required.

E.

Ornamental Trees. Single stem ornamental trees shall have a minimum trunk size of two and half (2.5) inches in caliper at planting, unless otherwise specified. Multiple stem ornamental trees shall have a minimum height of six (6) feet at planting, unless otherwise specified.

F.

Shrubs. Unless otherwise specified, all large deciduous and evergreen shrubs shall have minimum height of two (2) feet at installation, and all small deciduous and evergreen shrubs shall have a minimum height of eighteen (18) inches at installation. Large shrubs shall be considered to be those shrubs that reach five (5) or more feet in height at maturity. Small shrubs shall be considered to be those shrubs that can grow up to five (5) feet in height if left unmaintained, but are generally kept at heights of eighteen (18) to thirty (30) inches.

G.

Softening of Walls and Fences. Plant material should be placed continuously or intermittently against long expanses of building walls, fences and other barriers to create a softening effect and to help break up long expanses of blank walls with little architectural detail.

H.

Energy Conservation. Plant material placement should be designed to reduce the energy consumption needs of the development.

I.

Species Diversity. Diversity among required trees is required not only for visual interest, but to reduce the risk of losing a large population of plants due to disease. Table 20-1: Diversity Requirements indicates required diversity based on the total quantity of species being used.

J.

Berming. Earthen berms and existing topographic features shall be incorporated into the landscape treatment of a site where there is sufficient space and, in particular, when berms and existing topographic features can be combined with plant material to facilitate effective screening. Minimum unretained berm side slopes shall be maintained at no less than a 4:1 slope ratio to prevent erosion and be properly and safely maintained. Retained slopes may be implemented with the appropriate terracing necessary to reduce the need for safety railing.

20.6.1 General Parking Lot Landscaping Requirements.

A.

All new parking lots are subject to a landscape plan review as a condition of obtaining a zoning and/or building permit. All new parking lots that consist of five (5) or more spaces are also subject to site plan review pursuant to Section 23.4.1.

B.

Perimeter parking lot landscaping is required for all parking lots with gravel or hard surfaced and shall be established along the edge of the parking lot that fronts a public right-of-way, excluding alleys.

C.

Interior parking lot landscaping is required for all parking lots with gravel or hard surfaced that consist of fifteen (15) or more spaces.

D.

For existing gravel or hard surfaced parking lots that currently do not comply with the required parking lot landscaping, such landscaping shall be provided when any one (1) of the following occurs:

1.

A new principal building or building addition, which is forty percent (40%) or more of the original square footage of the principal building, is constructed. Future development phases must be considered, and cannot be phased in such a way as to circumvent this requirement.

2.

Over fifty percent (50%) of the total area of an existing parking lot is reconstructed. Partial surface lift removal, resealing or re-striping of an existing parking lot, which does not entail paving or resurfacing by full replacement of the asphalt or concrete that thereby exposes supporting gravel, is not subject to this requirement. Future maintenance phases must be considered, and cannot be phased in such a way as to circumvent this requirement.

3.

When an existing parking lot is expanded, that new portion of the parking lot is required to comply with landscape requirements.

When an existing parking lot is required by this section to provide landscaping, which would result in creating a parking area that no longer conforms to the parking regulations of the Article and this Ordinance, such existing parking lot shall not be required to install all or a portion of the required landscaping. The applicant shall be required to show that landscaping cannot be accommodated on the site. If only certain requirements are able to be accommodated on the site, those elements shall be required. The Planning and Zoning Officer shall make the determination that all or a portion of required landscaping does not have to be installed.

E.

Nothing in this section shall be deemed to prevent the applicant's voluntary installation of additional parking lot landscaping, so long as parking space requirements and parking lot design requirements are complied with.

20.6.2 Perimeter Parking Lot Landscaping. Perimeter parking lot landscaping provides for the enhancement and screening of parking lots by requiring a scheme of landscaping along public right-of-way, excluding alleys. A perimeter landscape yard is required for all parking lots with gravel or hard surfaced and the landscape treatment shall run the full length of the parking lot where it fronts a public right-of-way, excluding alleys. The landscaped yard shall be improved as follows.

A.

The perimeter landscape yard shall be a minimum of five (5) feet in width as measured from the front lot line.

B.

When a parking lot is visible from a public right-of-way, a single hedge row planted with one (1) shrub every thirty-six (36) inches on center, spaced linearly or in groups. Such shrubs shall measure a minimum of twenty-four (24) inches at planting, and shall be a minimum of thirty-six (36) inches to a maximum of forty-eight (48) inches in height at maturity.

C.

If the perimeter landscape yard is fenced, fencing shall be limited to an ornamental fence of four (4) feet in height and shall comply with fencing requirements.

D.

Alternatively, a low pedestrian wall the height of which provides effective screening to a maximum height of three (3) feet may be used instead of shrubs. Where possible, plant materials shall be installed between the sidewalk and the wall to provide a softening effect on the fence or wall.

E.

All perimeter parking lot landscaping areas should be protected with raised curbs.

F.

When a parking lot is visible from a public right-of-way, one (1) shade tree per fifty (50) feet of the parking lot perimeter, and fraction thereof, which fronts the right-of-way.

G.

Plantings may be spaced at various intervals and/or clustered based on specific site requirements or design scheme to be approved as part of the landscape plan.

20.6.3 Interior Parking Lot Landscaping. For parking lots with gravel or hard surfaced consisting of fifteen (15) or more spaces, interior parking lot landscaping shall be required.

A.

One (1) parking lot island shall be provided between every fifteen (15) contiguous parking spaces. As part of the landscape plan approval, parking lot island locations may be varied based on specific site requirements or design scheme, but the total number of islands shall be no less than the amount required one (1) island for every fifteen (15) spaces.

B.

In addition to parking lot islands, additional landscaped areas shall be provided within the interior of parking lots. All rows of parking spaces shall be terminated by a parking lot island or landscaped area. The minimum landscaped area, including parking lot islands, shall be ten percent (10%) of the parking lot area.

C.

Parking lot islands shall be the same dimension as the parking stall. Double rows of parking shall provide parking lot islands that are the same dimension as the double row.

D.

Parking lot islands or landscaped areas shall be protected with six (6) inch curbing, except where designed to apply sustainable techniques allowing the flow and access of stormwater and when a gravel parking lot is authorized via section 23.8.4. Such islands and landscaped areas shall be properly drained and irrigated as appropriate to the site conditions to ensure survivability.

E.

The following plantings are required in parking lot islands and landscaped areas:

1.

Shade trees shall be the primary plant materials used in parking lot islands and landscaped areas. Ornamental trees, shrubs, hedges and other plant materials may be used to supplement the shade tree plantings but shall not create visibility concerns for automobiles and pedestrians.

2.

A minimum of one (1) shade tree shall be provided for every parking lot island or landscaped area. If the island extends the width of a double row, then two (2) shade trees shall be provided.

3.

A minimum of fifty percent (50%) of every parking lot island shall be planted in shrubs, live groundcover, perennials or ornamental grasses. Mulch should fill in planting areas for early growth protection until the groundcover is established and covers the planting area. It is encouraged to mulch bare areas for three (3) to five (5) years, or until the plant material is fully established in the parking islands.

The buffer yards maintain an appropriate relationship between adjacent developments by clarifying the delineation between properties and creating attractive and effective buffers between uses. Where the parking lot with gravel or hard surfaced of a non-residential use or district abuts a residential use or district, excluding mixed-use developments, along the interior side lot line and/or rear lot line, a buffer yard of at least ten (10) feet shall be provided and shall be landscaped as follows:

A.

A screen fence or wall a minimum of five (5) feet in height is required. Screen fences must be solid wood, simulated wood or masonry. Chain-link fences are prohibited.

B.

A single hedge row planted with one (1) shrub every thirty-six (36) inches on center, spaced linearly or in groups. Such shrubs shall measure a minimum of twenty-four (24) inches at planting, and shall be a minimum of thirty-six (36) inches to a maximum of forty-eight (48) inches in height at maturity.

C.

One (1) shade tree every twenty-five (25) feet on center, spaced linearly.

D.

The remainder of the area must be planted with live groundcover.

E.

Evergreens and berming may be used in place of the above if the intent of the regulations is upheld and if approved by the Planning and Zoning Officer.

F.

Plantings may be spaced at various intervals and/or clustered based on specific site requirements or design scheme to be approved as part of the landscape plan.

A.

Any existing tree on a zoning lot may be included for credit towards the requirements of this Ordinance as approved by the Planning and Zoning Officer and if deemed to maintain the intent of this Ordinance.

B.

If any preserved tree dies within three (3) years of construction, one (1) tree shall be replaced for each tree credited against such a preserved tree.

C.

For each tree to be credited, a planting area or open ground area of at least twenty-five (25) square feet shall be included around trees up to four (4) inches in diameter. An additional twenty-five (25) square feet is required for each additional two (2) inches of tree trunk diameter, measured four and one-half (41/2) feet above the natural grade.

D.

In no case shall the trunk area of a preserved tree be closer to the edge of the planting area than one-third (⅓) of the length of the longest side of the open ground area in which it is planted.

A.

Refuse Disposal Dumpsters, Recycling Containers and Refuse Storage Areas. All refuse and recycling containers shall be fully enclosed on three (3) sides by a solid wood or simulated wood screen fence, an opaque masonry wall (stone, stucco or brick) or principal structure wall five (5) feet in height and the enclosure shall be gated. The materials used for screening, including the enclosure, should complement the architecture of the principal structure. An extension of an exterior principal structure wall may be used as one of the screening walls for a refuse container, provided that such wall meets the minimum five (5) foot height requirement and is of the same building materials as the principal structure. Such wall may not be the gated enclosure.

B.

Loading Berths. Loading berths in all zoning districts shall be screened if visible from the public right-of-way, unless such screening is unnecessary because of unique circumstances of the site which enable the intent of this regulation to be met as determined by the Planning and Zoning Officer.

C.

Outdoor Storage. Unless otherwise required by the specific use standards, all outdoor storage areas shall be completely screened by an opaque masonry wall (stone, stucco or brick) or a solid wood or simulated wood screen fence no less than six (6) feet in height. Plant materials should be installed along the fence or wall located along the public right-of-way to provide a softening effect. No materials stored outdoors shall be of a greater height than that of the required fence or wall.

D.

Outdoor Sales and Display.

1.

When an outdoor sales and display area abuts a residential district or use or is separated from a residential district or use by an alley, the outdoor display area shall be effectively screened from view by an opaque masonry wall (stone, stucco or brick), a solid wood or simulated wood screen fence or dense evergreen hedge, at least six (6) feet in height.

2.

Outdoor sales and display areas shall be screened along the public right-of-way, excluding alleys, as required for the perimeter of parking lots. Interior islands should also be installed with appropriate landscaping.

3.

Growing areas for nursery stock located in the front or corner side yard shall be considered to meet screening requirements.

The techniques described in this section are intended to promote implementation of innovative sustainable stormwater management practices. This section identifies techniques that when used in combination can substantially reduce stormwater run-off quantities and pollutant loading.

Green infrastructure uses vegetation, soils and natural processes to manage water and create a healthier urban environment. There are a range of green infrastructure elements that can be woven throughout a watershed from the smaller scale elements that can be integrated into individual developments to the larger scale elements that can span entire watersheds.

A lot coverage bonus of up to ten percent (10%) may be granted for the use of any two (2) of the following techniques, subject to site plan review and approval. In addition, for lots located within the Critical Sensitive Areas or within Conservation Design Districts, the use of these techniques may be required by site plan review.

A.

Green roofs to help mitigate the effects of urbanization on water quality by filtering, absorbing or detaining rainfall. Green roofs can either be intensive or extensive.

B.

Collection and reuse of greywater.

C.

Stormwater harvesting to collect rainfall to meet supplemental water needs such as irrigation, water features or incremental release into the public storm sewer system. In such case, stormwater is collected or harvested from the roof, gutters, concrete patios, driveways, parking lots and other impervious surfaces and stored in cisterns or rain barrels.

D.

Green parking lots to include permeable paved surfaces.

E.

Incorporation of bioretention areas, which function as soil and plant-based filtration devices that remove pollutants by a natural, terrestrial-based community of plants, microbes and soil.

F.

Use of bioswales which absorb low flows or carry runoff from heavy rains to storm sewer inlets or directly to surface waters. The use of native shrubs, forbs, and grasses are required to build soil structure and allow water to infiltrate into the ground more easily than nonnatives.

G.

Incorporation of rain gardens where a natural or dug shallow depression designed to capture and soak up stormwater runoff from the roof or other impervious areas. The rain garden must be planted with suitable trees, shrubs, flowers, and other plants allowing runoff to soak into the ground and protect water quality.

H.

Use of flow-through planters, which are structures or containers with impervious bottoms or placed on impervious surfaces that do not infiltrate into the ground. Flow-through planters can be placed in or above the ground level, and should be filled with gravel, soil and vegetation.

I.

Use of filter strips (vegetated filter strips, filter strips, and grassed filters), which are vegetated areas intended to treat sheet flow by intercepting or trapping field sediment, organics, nutrients, pesticides and/or other potential pollutants from adjacent impervious areas.

J.

Use of tree box filters, which are in-ground containers typically containing street trees in urban areas that can be very effective at controlling runoff, especially when distributed throughout the site. Runoff is directed to the tree box, where it is filtered by vegetation and soil before entering a catch basin.

K.

Use of natural detention basin designs, which are suitable for all development types. Detention may not be feasible on very small sites - such as individual lots - due to the need for very small outlet structures. On very small site, rain garden or bioinfiltration designs may be more appropriate.

L.

Use of soil additives or amendments, which can be used to minimize development impacts on native soils by restoring their historical infiltration capacity and chemical characteristics. After soils have been amended their improved physical, biological and hydrological characteristics will make them more effective agents of stormwater management.

M.

Use of green alleys and streets.

N.

Incorporation of urban tree canopies.

O.

Protection and restoration of existing wetlands.