§ 24.02. SITE LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS.

A. General requirements.

1. Whenever any yard (front, side or rear) and road right-of-way areas are not designated or used for building, off-street parking, loading and unloading, storage, vehicular traffic or other purpose within the terms and requirements of a given zoning district, it shall be sodded, irrigated and landscaped with either approved natural materials or living plant materials which shall be maintained in an aesthetically pleasing condition.

2. Whenever, in this ordinance, a landscape treatment is required, it shall be in accordance with the specific use as mentioned in this section. All landscaping shall consist of approved natural materials or living plant materials. Such landscaping shall hereafter be maintained in a presentable condition and shall be kept free from refuse and debris; provided, further, that all plant materials shall be continuously maintained in a sound, weed-free, healthy and vigorous growing condition and shall be kept free of plant diseases and insect pests. All landscaping shall have an irrigation (water sprinkler) system installed and maintained in good operating condition to ensure the maintenance of all landscaping in a healthy, thriving condition. The Planning Department may modify or waive the irrigation system requirements for natural vegetation areas of the site, where an alternative method of irrigation is provided, or where installation of an irrigation system is impractical or unfeasible due to the unavailability of a proximate water supply or other existing site conditions.

3. A detailed landscape plan for all yard areas shall be submitted to the Planning Department showing the names (common and botanical), location, spacing, starting size and planting and stalking details of all plantings to be installed and the location and types of all natural materials proposed to be included in the landscape treatment of the yard areas. This provision shall apply to all landscape yards, including those expanded beyond the minimum setback requirements of this ordinance. This landscape plan shall be reviewed and approved by the Planning Department which must approve the plan prior to granting final site plan approval. In the case of commercial developments exceeding 75,000 square feet, the landscape plan shall be reviewed and approved by the Planning Commission prior to final site plan approval.

4. Existing significant trees, tree stands, natural vegetation and wildlife habitat shall be integrated into the site landscape plan to the maximum extent possible.

5. Undeveloped portions and subsequent phases of the site shall be seeded, mowed and maintained.

6. The Planning Department may approve other materials such as masonry walls or brick, stone and cobblestone pavement upon a showing by the applicant that general plantings will not prosper at the intended location.

B. Design objectives.

1. The following general design objectives and criteria shall be considered in the evaluation of landscape plans:

a. Ample variety and quantity of ornamental plants, trees and shrubs should be provided. A few dominant types are usually chosen with subordinate types interspersed for accent. Repeating some types creates unity, but no types should be overused. Variety should be achieved with respect to seasonable changes, species selected, texture, color and size at maturity;

b. Landscaping should be encouraged that will serve the functions of enhancing the visual environment, ensuring public safety, moderating the microclimate and minimizing nuisances;

c. Landscaping should serve to integrate the project with the site, with a particular sensitivity to the natural topography and existing native vegetation. It should enhance the architecture of surrounding structures, when possible, by being of similar scale;

d. Preservation of the existing landscape materials and landforms is usually desirable, particularly where mature trees are a part of the site;

e. Visual variety should be the aim of landscaping treatment. Landscaping should be used to break up large expanses of pavement;

f. Local soil, water and other climatic conditions should be considered when choosing landscape materials to create optimum conditions for their survival and to ensure that they will thrive with a minimum amount of maintenance;

g. Landscaping should be protected from vehicular and pedestrian encroachment. Raised planting surfaces and the use of curbs are ways of achieving this objective;

h. Species that are a public nuisance or that cause litter should be avoided. When landscaping is to be installed in areas that children will frequent, trees and bushes with sharp needles shall be prohibited;

i. The aesthetic and functional aspects of the proposed landscaping, both at installation and at maturity, should be considered.

2. In addition to the site landscaping requirements of this section 24.02, sites located within a Development Areas shall comply with the requirements of article 22, section 22.04.

C. Plants and materials.

1. All plant materials used shall be placed in fertile soil with good surface drainage and shall be given reasonable maintenance necessary to ensure their healthy existence and survival. All natural materials shall be maintained, refurbished or replaced as necessary to ensure a positive aesthetic quality.

2. All proposed landscaped plantings shall meet the minimum size requirements specified in the following table. Minimum tree height is measured from the established grade.

D. Prohibitions. Where a landscape plan is required, the following plant materials are specifically prohibited:

1. Boxelder;

2. Soft maple (red silver);

3. Elm;

4. Poplar;

5. Willow;

6. Horse chestnut (nut bearing);

7. Tree of heaven;

8. Catalpa;

9. Fruit-bearing trees;

10. All thorned trees and shrubs;

11. Ribes (gooseberry);

12. Cottonwood.

PLANT MATERIAL SIZE

Minimum Size Allowable

6'	Height		18"-2'	Caliper		18"-2' Spread	2" Peat Pot	2 Gal. Container
	3'-4'	2'-3'		2½”	3
Evergreens: Fir Spruce Pine Hemlock Douglas fir	x x x x x
Narrow Evergreen Trees: Red cedar Arborvitae Juniper (selected varieties)	x x x
Large Deciduous Trees: Oak Maple Beech Linden Ash Ginko (male only) Honeylocust (seedless, thornless) Birch Sycamore	x x x x x x x x x
Small Deciduous Trees (Ornamental): Flowering dogwood (disease resistant) Flowering cherry, plum, pear Hawthorn (thornless) Redbud Magnolia Flowering crabapple Mountain ash Hornbeam Russian olive	x x x x x x x x x
Large Evergreen Shrubs: Irish yew Hicks yew Upright yew Spreading yew Pfitzer juniper Savin juniper Mugho pine	x x x	x x x x
Small Evergreen Shrubs: Brown’s Wards’ sebion yews Dwarf spreading juniper Dwarf mugho pine Euonymous varieties	x x x x
Large Deciduous Shrubs: Honeysuckle Lilac Border privet (hedge plantings) Sumac Buckthorn Pyrancantha Weigela Flowering quince Barberry Cotoneaster (Peking and spreading) Sargent crablapple Dogwood (Red osier and grey) Euonymous varieties Viburnum varieties Tail hedge (hedge planting)	x x x x x x x x x x	x x x	x	x
Small Deciduous Shrubs: Dwarf winged Red privet Fragrant sumac Japanese quince Cotoneaster (rockspray, cranberry)	x x x x x
Ground Cover: Periwinkle Baltic ivy Euonymous varieties Hall honeysuckle Pachysandra	x x x x x
Vines: Euonymous varieties Virginia creeper Baltic ivy Wisteria	x	x x x

(Ord. No. 278-F, § 13, 8-8-90; Ord. No. 278-X, § 15, 4-6-99; Ord. No. 278-Y, § 36, 5-16-00; Ord. No. 278-DD, § 8, 7-6-04; Ord. No. 278-JJ, § 7, 3-4-08; Ord. No. 278-II, § 2, 3-19-08; Ord. No. 278-YY, § 2, 10-4-16 )