As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
ARBORIST
Any individual experienced in the profession of forestry
or a related field and is licensed or certified in forestry by an
accredited forestry industry body, e.g., International Society of
Arboriculture.
AT-RISK TREE
Any tree that the Village Forester identifies as being at
risk of a serious infestation, disease, threat to public structures
and/or right of way, or overcrowding that presents a risk to the overall
health of the trees within the Village.
BUCKTHORN
An undesirable exotic invasive ornamental shrub introduced
to North America commonly known as "buckthorn" (Genus: Rhamnus). This
species inhabits woodlands and savannas where it dominates the landscape
prohibiting the development of native trees and plants. There are
six species of buckthorn listed in the Illinois Exotic Weed Act, which
prohibits the sale, distribution or planting of this species, common
buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica), dahurian buckthorn (Rhamnus davurica),
glossy buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula), saw-toothed buckthorn (Rhamnus
arguta), Chinese buckthorn (Rhamnus utilis), and Japanese buckthorn
(Rhamnus japonica).
BUFFERYARD
Any tree (regardless of caliper or DBH size) that is located
within a bufferyard.
BUFFERYARD
The requisite vegetated area between properties, at various district boundaries, and along certain rights-of-way established pursuant to §
260-907, Landscaped bufferyards, of the Bannockburn Zoning Code.
BUILDING ACTIVITY AREA
The portion of a property within which development activity,
including grading, excavation, storage of materials, construction
access and construction of both main buildings and unattached structures.
BUILDING COMMISSIONER
The Building and Zoning Commissioner of the Village or his
or her duly designated agent or such other person as may from time
to time be specifically appointed by the President and Board of Trustees
to carry out all or any part of the functions of the Building Commissioner
under this chapter.
CALIPER
The diameter of the trunk of a tree measured as defined by
the most recent edition of "American Standard for Nursery Stock (ANSI):
(1)
Six inches above the ground line for nursery stock, up to and
including four inches in caliper.
(2)
Twelve inches above the ground line for nursery stock exceeding
four inches in caliper.
CANOPY
The upper portion of a tree, sometimes called the "crown."
This section of the tree usually contains branches and leaves.
CONSERVANCY OR PRESERVATION AREA (EASEMENT)
An area under legal restriction, designated on a recorded
plat, deed, or covenant, within which the following requirements are
enforced:
(1)
Any area within which all existing vegetation shall be preserved
for the purpose of retaining the natural character or special environmental
state or control.
(2)
Any area with a special designation providing screening from
adjacent uses or a public or private street.
(3)
No plant material shall be removed from or planted in a conservancy
or preservation area without a permit from the Village of Bannockburn
authorizing removal or planting.
(4)
Conservancy or preservation areas may be established as part
of the subdivision process or through the issuance of a special use
permit.
(5)
No undesignated structures, including fencing shall be located
in a conservancy or preservation area.
(6)
In all instances, the approved language on the plat shall prevail.
CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY
Any man-made change, including, without limitation:
(1)
Maintenance of existing structures, paved areas, or utilities,
to improved or unimproved real estate;
(2)
The construction or installation of new, or the enlargement
of existing, structures, streets, or utilities;
(3)
Dredging, filling, clearing, drilling, mining, grading, paving,
or excavating operations;
(5)
Open storage of materials.
CRITICAL ROOT ZONE
An area on the ground extending out from the trunk of the
tree in all directions a distance of at least one foot for every inch
DBH.
CUTTING
(1)
Felling or removal of a tree, or any procedure that results
in the death or substantial destruction of a tree.
(2)
Cutting does not include normal pruning or trimming of trees
consistent with standard forestry practices.
DAMAGE
Impact to any tree, taking of any direct or indirect action
that causes, or is reasonably likely to cause, the death of a protected
tree or a significant loss of a protected tree's structural integrity,
including, without limitation but limited to: removal, destruction,
poisoning, carving, mutilating, girdling, severing the main trunk,
leader, or large branches, touching with live wires, soil contamination,
topping, canopy removal, bark removal, root compaction, crushing,
removal or exposing the roots, digging or drilling any hole or trench
within the critical root zone, filling with soil or other materials
within the critical root zone, compacting a substantial portion of
the soil in the critical root zone or moving a tree to another location
and or/actions resulting in the decline or death of a tree. Without
limiting the foregoing, "damage" does not include the pruning of protected
trees in accordance with Standard Practices for Tree, Shrub, and Other
Woody Plant Maintenance (ANSI A300) and Tree Pruning Guidelines published
by the International Society of Arboriculture or similar standards
and guidelines from time to time recommended in writing by the Village
Forester.
DECIDUOUS TREE
A deciduous tree is one that loses most or all of its leaves
for part of the year.
DESTRUCTION; DESTROY
Causing the death of a tree through removal, damaging, poisoning,
or any other direct or indirect actions resulting in its death, including
the demise of any tree on a subject property within two years after
the later of the completion of construction activity on such subject
property or the issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
DEVELOPMENT
Any proposed change in the use or character of land, including,
but not limited to the replacement of any structure or site improvements,
e.g., irrigation installation, driveway replacement, installation
of a retaining wall, among others. When appropriate to the context,
development may refer to the receipt or necessity of any building,
tree or site work permit.
DIAMETER AT BREAST HEIGHT (DBH)
The diameter of the trunk of the tree measured in inches
at a point 4.5 feet above ground line. This point or measurement is
used for established and mature trees and is referred to as "DBH."
All reference to diameter size for established and mature trees shall
be to the DBH.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROFESSIONAL
A degreed environmental scientist, biologist, botanist, forester,
other similarly degreed and/or licensed plant professional with at
least five years' experience in planting and maintaining native
plants and their associated natural ecosystems.
EVERGREEN TREE
A tree that retains most of its leaves for most of the year.
GROUND LINE
The elevation of the existing ground at the point where the
trunk of the tree meets the existing ground. If the tree is on a slope,
then the average elevation of the existing ground is used.
INFRASTRUCTURE
The basic underlying framework or features that provide collective
services, including but not limited to roads, waterlines, storm sewers,
bioswales and trees.
LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT PLAN
A plan approved by the Village of Bannockburn outlining the
strategies for care and management of a specific type of landscape.
LANDSCAPE PLAN
A plan approved by the Village of Bannockburn defining the
location and species of plants and associated hardscape, including
any grading proposed or required as part of the plan.
LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONAL
A registered landscape architect, horticulturalist or other
similarly degreed, experienced and/or licensed plant professional.
NUISANCE TREES
Nuisance trees are trees that may provide negative impacts
to other trees, vegetation, people or structures. This would include,
but not be limited to, diseased, infested, structurally unsound trees
or known invasive species.
PARCEL
A single parcel shall mean any lot of record, zoning lot
or any grouping of adjacent lots under single ownership, serving a
principal structure or use.
PERSON
Any public or private individual, group, company, firm, corporation,
partnership, association, society or any other combination of human
beings, whether legal or natural, but shall not include the Village
or its employees or officials.
PREFERRED TREE LIST
A listing of tree species, located in the Village of Bannockburn
Urban Forest Management Plan.
PROPERTY OWNER
An individual or organization who owns property located within
the corporate limits of the Village of Bannockburn.
REFORESTATION PLAN
The written plan submitted in connection with a use change
to the Village pursuant to this chapter providing for the installation
or replanting of trees on the subject property to replace destroyed
trees, subject to such terms and conditions as shall be specified
in the plan, as approved by the Village.
REGULATED ARTICLES
Any insects at any living stage of development, any quarantined
materials such as wood products including, but not limited to chips,
limbs, lumber, firewood, contaminated soils, or any other product
or means of conveyance which may be determined by federal or state
departments of agriculture to pose a risk of spread of any infestation
or infection.
SHRUB
Any woody plant, together with its root system, of low height
with several stems, except anything that is an invasive species.
SIMPLE TREE REMOVAL
Removal of a tree without other associated site impacts or
other site improvements.
SITE
That parcel of land for which a permit for landscaping or
tree removal is sought.
STREET TREE
Any tree located on or within the public right-of-way or
right-of-way easement.
SUBJECT PROPERTY
Any lot as that term is defined by Chapter
260, Zoning, of the Village Code, which, or any portion of which, is affected by a use change.
TREE
Any self-supporting woody plant, together with its root system,
trunk and canopy; growing upon the earth usually with one trunk, or
a multi-stemmed trunk system, supporting a definitely formed crown.
Each tree shall be categorized into the following categories: Preferred,
Undesirable or Invasive, which can be found in the Urban Forest Management
Plan.
TREE CATEGORIES
The categories utilized by the Village of Bannockburn (i.e.,
Preferred, Undesirable, or Invasive) are based on species characteristics,
native versus non-native status, biodiversity goals, and overall environmental
health/quality. Evaluation of individual tree condition, health, or
location are typically performed as part of a tree inventory process
and the evaluation of the Village Forester. Factors include environmental
suitability, biological traits (i.e., growth rate, pest resistance),
maintenance requirements and aesthetic characteristics, as originally
established by the Illinois Arborist Association "Species Ratings
& Appraisal Factors for Illinois."
TREE INVENTORY
For all trees two-inch DBH and larger on a subject property,
data shall be collected for each tree including species, size, condition,
any notable problems, and tree category. Trees shall be tagged in
the field, with a numbered tag for identification purposes, and shown
on the tree survey.
TREE PERMIT
A written authorization from the Village of Bannockburn authorizing
the applicant to conduct work which may or may not impact a tree.
TREE PRESERVATION PLAN
A document, required as part of a permit by the Building
Commissioner or Village Forester, which identifies, by common name
and/or scientific name, certain species of trees of a specified DBH
within a particular area. The plan shall list, all existing and proposed
trees and bufferyard shrubs shall specifically state how each tree/shrub
is proposed to be destroyed, relocated, replaced, preserved at its
present location, introduced into the site from an off-site source,
and whether the tree/shrub is to receive remediated actions due to
construction impacts, e.g., root pruning. The Village of Bannockburn
may provide that the tree preservation plan excludes those portions
of the site which it determines will not be affected by the activity.
Any tree preservation plan required by this chapter that has been
approved by the Village of Bannockburn is valid for 36 months.
TREE REMOVAL
The cutting down, destruction, removal or relocation of any
tree, including damaging by poison or other direct or indirect action.
URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN
A detailed plan developed by the Village of Bannockburn under
the direction of a certified arborist or Village Forester which protects
this valuable infrastructure and outlines thoughtful strategies for
tree planting, selection, care and preservation for the Village of
Bannockburn and complies with recognized national standards.
USE CHANGE
(1)
Shall mean:
(a)
Any subdivision of property as defined by Chapter
205, Subdivision Regulations, of the Village Code, as amended;
(b)
The commencement of any activity pursuant to a variation, amendment, special use or special use-planned unit development granted in accordance with the provisions of Chapter
260, Zoning, of the Village Code;
(c)
The commencement of any activity requiring the issuance of any
grading, building, demolition, sewerage, water, plumbing or other
permit (but not a license or certificate) required pursuant to any
Village ordinance;
(d)
Any activity involving construction, earth moving, demolition,
or vehicular traffic, or any similar activity, occurring within a
critical root zone; or
(e)
Any activity involving the damage or destruction of a tree.
(2)
However, a use change shall not include activity deemed by the
Building Commissioner or the Village Forester to be pruning conducted
in accordance with the Standard Practices for Tree, Shrub, and Other
Woody Plant Maintenance (ANSI A300) and Tree Pruning Guidelines published
by the International Society of Arboriculture or similar standards
and guidelines from time to time recommended in writing by the Village
Forester.
VIABLE
A tree, which in the judgment of the Village of Bannockburn,
is capable of sustaining its own life processes, unaided by a person,
for a reasonable period of time.
VILLAGE
The Village of Bannockburn.
VILLAGE FORESTER
An individual trained and experienced in the profession of
forestry and approved by the President and Board of Trustees to provide
professional and technical forestry advice to the Village and to assist
in the administration of this chapter.