Title
Public Hearing for the Adoption of an Amendment to the Land Development Ordinance: Amending Subsection (A) of Section 30-10-4.1, Plant Materials, of the Land Development Ordinance to Require a Plant Species and Genus Mix Among Newly Installed Canopy Trees, Understory Trees and Shrubs
Body
Council Priority: Create an Environment to Promote Economic Development Opportunities and Job Creation / Maintain Infrastructure and Provide Sustainable Growth Opportunities
Department: Planning
Council District: All
Public Hearing: Yes
Advertising Date/By: March 4, 2021, and March 11, 2021 / City Clerk
Contact 1 and Phone: Sue Schwartz, 373-2149
Contact 2 and Phone: Steve Galanti, 373-2918
PURPOSE:
The purpose of the text amendment is to amend the Land Development Ordinance (LDO) to require a plant species and genus mix among newly installed canopy trees, understory trees and shrubs. The City Council is required to hold a public hearing on this amendment before considering its approval.
BACKGROUND:
Article 30-10 - Landscaping, of the Land Development Ordinance was adopted with the LDO in 2010, and has not been updated since. The ordinance specifies the number of canopy trees, understory trees, and shrubs that are required in each of the required buffer yards, as well as minimum plant size, but does not make any requirements as to the number of different species that must be included. This frequently leads to planting yards being installed that contain only a single species of shrubs and a single species of tree.
Since 2010, there have been several notable invasions of insect pests and diseases that affect trees and shrubs in our area, most recently the Emerald Ash Borer, which is rapidly killing Ash trees in the city and in the region. Research has shown that groups of urban trees or shrubs containing only one species are much more susceptible to these pests than similar groups that contain several species of tree and shrubs. Having a number of trees of the s...
Click here for full text