[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of Trustees of the
Village of Slinger as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted
where applicable.]
[Adopted as Sec. 10.06 of the former Municipal Code]
A.
A variety of landscapes adds diversity and richness to the quality
of life in the Village of Slinger. There are also expectations regarding
the maintenance and appearance of landscapes which, if not met, may
decrease the value of nearby properties, degrade the natural environment,
or threaten public health and safety. It is therefore in the public
interest, and the intended purpose of this section, to provide standards
for the development and maintenance of the community's landscapes,
whether corporate, private, or public.
B.
The Village recognizes that the majority of landscapes consist of
managed turf grass. However, the Village encourages the preservation
and planting of wildflowers and other native plants in managed landscapes
to reduce maintenance, conserve water, soil, and other elements of
the natural community.
C.
The Village acknowledges the need to enjoy and benefit from the variety,
beauty, and practical values of natural landscapes, and allows natural
landscaping as an alternative to conventional landscaping.
D.
It is also the intent of this section to prevent landscaped areas
from being unmanaged or overgrown in ways that adversely affect human
health or safety, or create a nuisance due to their visual appearance.
It is the express intent of this section that it shall be unlawful
to allow the growth of noxious weeds, certain prohibited plants, invasive
plants, and the rank growth of vegetation.
[Amended 5-21-2018 by Ord. No. 04-02-2018]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
The complete killing of weed plants above the surface of
the ground by the use of chemicals, cutting, tillage, cropping system,
pasturing livestock, or any or all of these in effective combination,
at such time and in such manner as will effectually prevent such weed
plants from maturing to the bloom or flower stage.
[Amended 12-3-2018 by Ord. No. 11-01-2018]
Classified as an invasive speces as defined in Wis. Stats.
23.22.
[Added 5-21-2018 by Ord.
No. 04-02-2018]
Grass commonly used in regularly cut lawns or play areas,
such as, but not limited to, bluegrass, fescue and rye grass blends.
In lawn or turf areas, grass shall not exceed eight inches in height.
A land area planted and managed to preserve or restore native
Wisconsin grasses and forbs, native trees, shrubs, wildflowers and
aquatic plants, or a combination thereof. In such areas, grasses and
forbs may exceed eight inches in height.
A.
The owner or occupant of any lands in the Village shall install and
maintain landscaping, plantings and other decorative surface treatments,
including turf grass, so as to present an attractive appearance in
all court and yard areas in accordance with generally accepted landscaping
practices in southeastern Wisconsin.
B.
Lawns shall be maintained to a height not to exceed eight inches.
C.
Exceptions to these requirements include natural landscaped areas as described in § 206-4 below, and areas which are heavily wooded without lawn or turf grass within the heavily wooded areas.
D.
Plantings shall be maintained so as not to present hazards or a nuisance
to adjoining properties or to persons or vehicles traveling on public
ways and shall be maintained so as to enhance the appearance and value
of the property on which located and thereby the appearance and value
of the neighborhood and the Village.
Natural landscaped areas as defined above in § 206-2, where grasses and forbs may exceed eight inches in height, may be permitted in accord with the following procedures and requirements:
A.
Applicability. Natural landscaped areas may be permitted in all residential,
commercial, industrial and institutional zoning districts in accord
with the procedures described in this section. However, the following
zoning districts are exempt from the procedures described in this
section because of circumstances unique to such districts: parks and
recreation districts, conservancy districts, floodplain districts,
wetland districts, and planned unit development districts (PUDs).
B.
Prior to installation, the owner or occupant of the premises shall
apply to the Village Engineer, who shall provide applicant with an
application form and a copy of this section. A scaled plan of the
subject lot or parcel shall be submitted, showing the area to be planted
and a description and location of the seeds, forbs, trees, shrubs
or other plantings to be installed. The plan should also include a
statement of intent and purpose of the natural landscaped area, such
as "prairie restoration," "old field succession to woodland," "natural
meadow," "erosion control," bird and wildlife sanctuary," etc., which
implies a management direction. The management and maintenance techniques
to be employed should be described in the statement of intent. The
plan shall be accompanied by a fee as set from time to time by the
Village Board, and the application form shall be signed by the property
owner. The Village shall review the plan and act to approve it, deny
it, or approve it with conditions within 30 days of its submittal.
The plan review shall be done by a committee consisting of the Village
Engineer, Planner, Fire Chief, a Planning Commission member, and a
member with appropriate knowledge of natural landscape materials.
A permit for installation of natural landscaped areas may be issued
by the Village Engineer only after review and recommendation by the
committee.
[Amended 12-3-2018 by Ord. No. 11-01-2018]
C.
Natural landscaped areas may be located only in rear and side yards
and shall not be located in any street yards.
D.
Natural landscaped areas shall be set back a minimum of five feet
from adjacent lot lines and from public or private street rights-of-way
to provide a perimeter buffer area around natural landscape areas.
The perimeter buffer area shall contain lawn or turf grass which is
maintained and mowed or may be heavily wooded areas. The perimeter
buffer areas are intended to minimize any adverse impact on adjacent
property owners or occupants, or to street rights-of-way.
E.
Natural landscaped areas shall not be located within public utility
easements, drainage easements, drainage swales or public street rights-of-way.
G.
Natural landscaped areas which do not comply with either an approved plan or with the requirements of this section shall be determined to be a public nuisance, and the Village may order the nuisance abated in accord with § 336-7 of this Code.
H.
Natural landscaped areas which existed prior to July 6, 2003 may
be continued where they comply with the requirements of this section.
Such areas which do not comply because of their location or other
characteristics shall be considered to be nonconforming uses and may
be continued but shall not be enlarged, extended or expanded to increase
their degree of nonconformance.
[Amended 12-3-2018 by Ord. No. 11-01-2018]
A.
Property owners are required by law to destroy all noxious weeds,
invasive plants, and other rank growth of vegetation as defined herein
on lands in the Village which they own, occupy or control; including
lands in street rights-of-way between the property line and the roadway
pavement.
[Amended 5-21-2018 by Ord. No. 04-02-2018]
B.
Penalty. Any person who violates any provisions of this article shall be subject to a penalty as provided in § 1-2 of this Code.
[Amended 12-3-2018 by Ord. No. 11-01-2018]
C.
Notification. The Village Clerk shall annually, on or before May
15, publish a Class 2 notice, under Ch. 985, Wis. Stats., that every
person is required by law to destroy all noxious weeds and other rank
growth or vegetation, as defined herein, on lands in the Village which
he owns, occupies or controls, including lands in the street right-of-way
between the property line and the road pavement.
[Adopted as Sec. 16.13 of the former Municipal Code]
A permit is required for residential users of the Village's
sanitary sewerage system as a means of providing a credit for water
utilized when establishing a new lawn in accord with Village regulations.
A permit will be issued based upon the following criteria:
A.
Only new residential customers connected to both Slinger water and
wastewater utilities and contributing only normal, domestic strength
waste are eligible for this permit.
B.
The permit is valid only for the initial establishment period of
lawns within the Village of Slinger's corporate boundaries. The initial
establishment period is limited to three consecutive months only.
The Village Board may grant an extension of the initial establishment
period if deemed necessary due to extenuating circumstances.
[Amended 9-5-2017 by Ord.
No. 09-01-2017]
C.
Approved permit holders will be issued a credit for the volume of
sewage discharged to the sewerage system for each of the affected
billing periods. The volume quantity charged for sewage discharged
during each billing period will be determined as follows. The utility
will establish the average volume of water used monthly by the permit
applicant based on past usage. The average volume determined by the
utility will establish the fixed volume charge for sewage discharged
during each billing period in which the permit is valid. If there
is no past usage, the utility's average customer usage will be used.
[Amended 9-5-2017 by Ord.
No. 09-01-2017]
D.
The volume charge for water used during the permit period will remain
the actual volume of water passing through the customer's meter.
No credit or adjustment will be made for the volume of water used
during the permit period.
E.
A permit fee will be charged for the new lawn establishment permit.
The permit fee will be set by the Village Board of the Village of
Slinger by a duly enacted resolution and may be changed from time
to time.
