§ 12.21. Plant materials.

Whenever in this Ordinance planting is required, it shall be planted within six months from the date of completion of the building or improvement, and shall thereafter be reasonably maintained with permanent plant materials. Plastic and other nonorganic, nonliving plant materials shall be prohibited from use and shall not be in compliance with the spirit and intent of this Ordinance.

1.

Plant material spacing:

a.

Plant materials shall not be placed closer than four feet from the fence line or property line except that shrubs may be planted no closer than two feet from the fence or property line.

b.

Where plant materials are planted in two or more rows, plantings shall be staggered in rows.

c.

Evergreen trees shall be planted not more than 30 feet on centers.

d.

Narrow evergreens shall be planted not more than three feet on centers.

e.

Deciduous trees shall be planted not more than 30 feet on centers.

f.

Tree-like shrubs shall be planted not more than ten feet on centers.

g.

Large deciduous shrubs shall be planted not more than four feet on centers.

2.

Suggested plant materials; minimum size:

a.

Evergreen trees; six feet in height:

(1)

Hemlock.

(2)

Fir.

(3)

Pine.

(4)

Spruce.

(5)

Douglas-Fir.

b.

Narrow evergreens; four feet in height:

(1)

>Column Honoki Cypress.

(2)

Blue Columnar Chinese Juniper.

(3)

Pyramidal Red-Cedar.

(4)

Irish Yew.

(5)

Douglas Arborvitae.

(6)

Columnar Giant Arborvitae.

c.

Tree-like shrubs; six feet in height:

(1)

Flowering Crab.

(2)

Russian Olive.

(3)

Mountain Ash.

(4)

Dogwood.

(5)

Redbud.

(6)

Rose of Sharon.

(7)

Hornbeam.

(8)

Hawthorn.

(9)

Magnolia.

d.

Large deciduous shrubs; four feet in height:

(1)

Honeysuckle.

(2)

Viburnum.

(3)

Mock-Orange.

(4)

Forsythia.

(5)

Lilac.

(6)

Cotoneaster.

(7)

Hazelnut.

(8)

Euonymus.

(9)

Privet.

(10)

Buckthorn.

(11)

Sumac.

e.

Deciduous trees; two- to three-inch caliper:

(1)

Oaks.

(2)

Hard Maple.

(3)

Hackberry.

(4)

Birch.

(5)

Planetree (Sycamore).

(6)

Ginkgo (male).

(7)

Beech.

(8)

Sweet-Gum.

(9)

Honeylocust.

(10)

Hop Hornbeam.

(11)

Linden.

3.

Trees not permitted:

a.

Box Elder.

b.

Soft Maples (Red-Silver).

c.

Slippery Elms.

d.

Poplars.

e.

Willows.

f.

Horse Chestnut (nut-bearing).

g.

Tree of Heaven.

h.

Catalpa.

i.

Ginkgo (female).

4.

Existing plant materials: In instances where healthy plant material exists on a site prior to its development, the building official may adjust the application of the above standards to allow credit for such plant material if such an adjustment is in keeping with, and will preserve, the intent of this section.

All existing plant materials must first be inspected by the building official to determine the health and desirability of such materials. In the event plant materials are to be saved, prior approval must be obtained from the building official before any delimbing, root pruning, or other work is done.

If such existing plant material is labeled "To Be Saved" on site plans, protective techniques, such as (but not limited to) fencing placed at the dripline around the perimeter of the plant material, shall be installed. No vehicle or other construction equipment shall be parked or stored within the dripline of any plant material intended to be saved.

In the event that healthy trees labeled "To Be Saved" on the approved site plan are destroyed or damaged, as determined by the Building Official, the owner, developer or contractor shall replace said trees with trees of comparable type.