The provisions in this article are intended to set minimum standards for the design, installation, and maintenance of landscaping, greenbelts, and screening for the protection and enhancement of the Village's environment. Landscaping and screening enhances the visual image of the Village, preserves natural features, improves property values, and alleviates the impact of noise, traffic, and visual distraction associated with certain uses. The intent of these provisions includes, but is not limited to, the following:
A. 
Promote the implementation of the Master Plan and promote values of a Tree City USA community;
B. 
Define, articulate, and integrate outdoor spaces, architectural elements, and various site elements;
C. 
Improve the appearance of off-street parking areas, vehicular use areas, and property abutting public rights-of-way;
D. 
Protect and preserve the appearance, character, and value of the residential uses that abut nonresidential areas, parking areas, and other intensive use areas, thereby protecting the public health, safety, and welfare, by requiring complementary landscaping treatments and providing transitional areas adjacent to natural areas;
E. 
Reduce soil erosion and depletion by utilizing vegetative root systems to stabilize soils and foliage to reduce the effects of erosive winds and water;
F. 
Increase stormwater retention and slow the movement of water, thereby helping to prevent flooding;
G. 
Provide reasonable standards to bring developed sites, which existed prior to the adoption of these standards, into compliance with the requirements contained herein;
H. 
Recognize and preserve natural areas such as woodlands, wetlands, and floodplains within and adjacent to a development site;
I. 
Encourage the preservation of larger, native trees that, once destroyed, can only be replaced after generations; and
J. 
Support wildlife and natural systems through the planting of native vegetation.
The regulations of this article are applicable to all proposed developments requiring a site plan per § 390-122, any new parking lot, and any addition of 10 or more spaces to an existing parking lot.
Whenever a landscape screen or landscape planting is required by the provisions of this chapter, a landscape plan shall be provided for review by the Zoning Administrator and/or Planning Commission. The landscape plan shall demonstrate that all requirements of this article are met, and shall at a minimum, include the following information:
A. 
A scale drawing of the site and proposed development thereon, including the date, name and address of the preparer, parcel lines, parcel area and North arrow.
B. 
The minimum scale of the drawing shall be one inch equals 30 feet.
C. 
Contour lines at minimum two foot intervals shall be shown.
D. 
Proposed and existing man-made features, including buildings, structures, and parking areas.
E. 
Setback lines and their dimensions.
F. 
Location of existing and proposed driveways and curb cuts, if any.
G. 
Location of existing public and private rights-of-way and easements contiguous to and on the property.
H. 
Natural features, including trees with a diameter at breast height of three inches or more, water bodies and wetlands, high-risk erosion areas, slopes in excess of 25%, drainage and similar features; and an indication of which features would be preserved.
I. 
Proposed location of plantings, spacing between plantings, height and size at time of planting, type of plantings (common and botanical names), and other elements to illustrate compliance with the standards of this article.
J. 
Description of the types of equipment and methods to be used to irrigate the required landscape areas, if any.
K. 
A landscape maintenance program, including a statement that all diseased, damaged or dead materials shall be replaced in accordance with the standards of this section and identifying the individual(s) or business(s) who will be responsible for continued maintenance of the landscaping.
L. 
A detailed description of either written or graphic form, indicating the applicant's plans to protect the existing trees to be preserved from damage during site development and construction such as dripline fencing, tree wells and culverts.
M. 
Location, height, elevation/section and material of proposed screening walls, fencing, retaining walls, and berming. Berms are to be delineated by one-foot contours.
N. 
Where berms are used, the plan shall depict a typical cross section, including the slope, height, and width of the berm and the type of ground cover. Where a wall is used, the landscape plan shall depict typical cross sections of the wall construction and footings.
O. 
Calculation verifying minimum landscape requirements such as quantities/areas of plantings for parking areas, screening areas, or greenbelts.
P. 
Any other information as may be required by the Zoning Administrator to aid in the review of the site plan.
Q. 
The Zoning Administrator may permit less information to be shown on the landscape plan based on the scope and scale of the project.
The following general requirements shall be met by all landscaping plans.
A. 
Occupancy certificates. All required, screens, buffer areas, and landscaping plantings shall be planted in accordance with the approved landscape plan, and a certificate of occupancy shall not be issued until the screen, buffer area, and landscape planting has been completed in accordance with the approved plan. If a use is ready for occupancy between November 1 and March 31, a temporary certificate of occupancy may be issued, provided a performance guarantee, as regulated in § 390-153, has been provided in an amount equal to the estimated cost of the landscape improvements. In any case, all required landscaping must be complete by June 1 following issuance of the temporary certificate of occupancy.
B. 
Disturbed ground areas. All disturbed ground areas shall be stabilized with dense vegetative materials, including grass, shrubs, and ground covers consistent with these provisions. Native, low maintenance ground cover is encouraged.
C. 
Density of trees. Trees shall be planted on nonresidential parcels at a rate of at least one tree per 1,000 square feet of any unpaved open area for which specific landscaping requirements do not apply.
D. 
Street trees. Where a parkway exists or is proposed, street trees shall be planted within the parkway along public and private streets in all developments requiring site plan approval.
(1) 
Street trees shall be deciduous and capable of achieving a mature canopy diameter of at least 25 feet;
(2) 
Provide branching structures which naturally grow, have been trained, or will be pruned to at least seven feet above pedestrian and 14 feet above vehicular traffic areas;
(3) 
Shall be planted 30 feet on center; and
(4) 
Be tolerant of urban conditions, such as pollution, salt, and drought. See the list of suggested native plant species in this section[1] for several suitable street tree varieties.
[1]
Editor's Note: See § 390-95J.
E. 
Irrigation. Methods of temporary and permanent irrigation for trees and all landscape areas must be specified. Landscape areas larger than 1,000 square feet in area and landscape areas within parking lots shall be provided with an underground irrigation system. To encourage sustainable landscape practices and the use of natural water sources, the Planning Commission may approve an acceptable alternative water supply if the applicant/owner can demonstrate the use of drought-tolerant varieties and other natural sources of irrigation such as swales and rain gardens. If the alternative irrigation fails to maintain the landscaping in a healthy state, the property owner shall be required to install traditional methods of irrigation sufficient to maintain the plants. All irrigation shall utilize sustainable practices to the greatest extent practicable.
F. 
Fractional plant requirements. Where this article requires landscaping for any distance along a property or other line, and an applicant's property is a fraction of the given measurement, then the property's measurement shall be rounded to the next highest number to comply with the minimum standards herein. Driveways and other paved points of access shall not be included in frontage calculations.
G. 
Visual clearance. Landscaping shall be installed such that, when mature, it does not obstruct or obscure traffic signs, fire hydrants, lighting, drainage patterns on the site or adjacent properties, or obstruct vision for safety of ingress and egress, and is subject to the clear vision corner requirements of this chapter, as regulated in § 390-11A(2).
H. 
Credit for existing vegetation. Existing healthy, well-formed trees, shrubs, and herbaceous perennials may be credited towards the requirements of this article provided the vegetation is identified on the landscape plan, protected from harm during construction, located in an appropriate place, and maintained in a healthy growing condition.
I. 
Tree preservation. Existing healthy trees located within required setbacks and areas not required for development shall be preserved, and may be counted toward the number of trees required.
(1) 
All trees to be preserved as indicated on the landscape plan shall be sheltered by a protective fence and shall remain upright and intact until all construction activity is complete. Construction activities, including driving of machinery or pedestrian movements, and the storage of equipment shall not occur within these protected areas. Tree protection barriers shall extend at a minimum to the drip line of trees which have been identified for preservation.
(2) 
Should any tree designated for preservation fail to thrive as a result of pre-construction, construction, or post-construction activities, the owner shall calculate the diameter breast height (DBH) inches of the damaged tree and replace with tree(s) equivalent in caliper inches to the total DBH inches lost.
J. 
Tree removal and replacement. All reasonable attempts to conserve established, high-quality canopy trees shall be made. Trees specified for removal measuring 12 diameter breast height (DBH) inches or more shall be subject to the following tree replacement standards.
(1) 
Trees must be replaced in caliper inches at a rate of 50% of the total DBH removed. Replacement deciduous trees shall be at least three caliper inches and replacement evergreen trees shall be at least eight feet in height.
(2) 
Where the Village finds it not reasonable or desirable to relocate or replace trees on site, the Village may direct the applicant to pay into the established Village Tree Fund an amount of money equal to the value of replacement trees, including installation, that would otherwise be required. The cost per three inch caliper deciduous tree and eight foot tall evergreen tree will be set annually by the Village based on current market conditions.
(3) 
Exceptions to the replacement of trees measuring 12 diameter breast height (DBH) inches or more shall be limited to the following:
(a) 
When no feasible and prudent alternative location can be had without causing undue hardship;
(b) 
When the tree is dead, diseased, injured or is a danger to existing structures, utility service, or interferes with safe vision clearances;
(c) 
Or if the tree is listed in the prohibited varieties table at the end of this article.
K. 
Maintenance and replacement of plant material. Landscaping shall be installed and maintained in a healthy, neat, and orderly appearance, free from refuse, debris, and weeds. Plant materials, including lawn, shall be maintained in a substantially weed free, healthy growing condition, neat and orderly in appearance in accordance with the approved Site Plan and detailed planting plan. Plants shall be controlled by pruning, trimming, or other suitable methods so that they do not interfere with public utilities, restrict pedestrian or vehicular access, or constitute a traffic hazard. All unhealthy and dead plant material shall be replaced within one year or in the next appropriate planting period, whichever comes first. A description of the proposed maintenance program shall be submitted with the detailed planting plan, including a statement that all diseased, damaged, or dead materials will be replaced in accord with the chapter.
L. 
Revised site plan. No landscaped area may be abandoned, paved, or otherwise employed without submission and approval of a revised site plan, in accordance with Article XVII.
M. 
Performance guarantee. The Zoning Administrator or Planning Commission may require a performance guarantee per § 390-153 of this chapter to ensure proper installation and maintenance of all required landscaping.
N. 
The Planning Commission and Village Council may lessen the requirements of this section if site conditions make the strict application of these regulations unreasonable, assuming the applicant could provide for sufficient buffering between dissimilar uses and between expanses of parking and rights-of-way or if existing landscaping meets the intent of this article. Additional requirements on landscaping may be imposed if such modification would further the intent of this article.
O. 
The Planning Commission and Village Council may retain the services of a landscape architect or other similarly qualified professional to review a landscape plan to ensure compliance with this article.
[Amended 2-16-2026 by Ord. No. 400]
A. 
Landscaping in the MFR District.
(1) 
When a multiple-family dwelling abuts a one-family or two-family dwelling, a greenbelt or a screen shall be required along the side and rear property lines. The greenbelt area may be located within a required yard area.
(2) 
When a multiple-family dwelling abuts any use that is not a one-family or two-family dwelling, a greenbelt shall be required along the side and rear property lines. The greenbelt area may be located in a required yard area.
(3) 
The Planning Commission may require a taller screen based on site conditions.
B. 
Landscaping in nonresidential districts.
(1) 
When a nonresidential district abuts a property used for residential purposes, a greenbelt or a screen shall be required along the side and rear property lines. The greenbelt area may be located within a required yard area.
(2) 
The Planning Commission or Village Council may require installation of wrought iron or material that gives the appearance of wrought iron, fence with brick pier accents, as seen in typical Village developments, or a solid brick wall or hedge, 24 inches in height, along street frontages for new development or substantially redeveloped properties. This shall also include a five-foot-wide landscaped area with one tree for every 25 feet of length and one bush for every five feet of length. If the property is in the CBD or C districts, or where parking, loading, or storage has been permitted by the Planning Commission in the front yard, these standards are required.
(3) 
The Planning Commission may require a taller screen based on site conditions.
C. 
Parking areas. In addition to the site landscaping required in Subsections A and B above, any off-street parking area containing 10 or more parking spaces shall be landscaped according to the following requirements:
(1) 
All required interior landscaped areas shall be protected by a barrier (i.e., a raised standard or rolled concrete curb), except where landscape islands in parking lots are being utilized as part of a stormwater detention or conveyance system.
(2) 
In the case of a shared parking lot, screening and greenbelts shall not be required along the common property line.
(3) 
The interior portion of the parking lot shall contain landscaped areas consisting of one square foot of landscaped area for every 12 1/2 square feet of pavement, or fraction thereof, and one deciduous tree for every 200 square feet, or portion thereof, of landscaped area provided.
(4) 
Each landscaped area shall be a minimum of 200 square feet, with a minimum width of 10 feet, and shall include one deciduous tree. In addition to the tree, each landscaped area shall be covered with living vegetative materials such as shrubs, grasses, and flowers, and may include no more than 20% exposed surface area of natural mulch materials.
(5) 
At least 50% of the deciduous trees within the landscape areas shall be canopy trees, able of achieving a mature canopy diameter of at least 25 feet.
(6) 
The landscaped areas shall be dispersed throughout the parking lot in order to break up and soften large expanses of impervious surface and to define access and circulation patterns.
(7) 
The Planning Commission may permit the required landscape areas to be combined into larger areas if they find that the resulting landscape area is of a higher quality and meets the intent of this article to visually enhance the parking lot.
(8) 
Sizes of plant materials at installation shall comply with the minimum landscape material standards in § 390-95.
D. 
Exposed storage areas, trash receptacles and dumpsters, machinery installations, service areas, loading docks, utility buildings and utility structures such as electrical transformers, air conditioners, and similar features shall be screened from view from adjoining streets and properties by a screening enclosure of sufficient height to obscure the view of the equipment. Screening enclosures shall comply with the following requirements:
(1) 
Acceptable materials. Enclosures shall be sturdy and constructed of quality, long-lasting masonry materials, or other acceptable durable materials (i.e., split face block or CMU) that are generally compatible in character and appearance to the principal structure. Alternatively, the Planning Commission may permit a screen consisting of evergreen plants. Cinder block, conventional concrete block, wire, or cyclone fencing materials are prohibited.
(2) 
The enclosure shall be four sided with lockable opaque gates which complement the screen materials. The Zoning Administrator or Planning Commission may permit the enclosure to be three sided where site dimensions make a four sided enclosure impractical and where the three sided enclosure will effectively screen the equipment or structure from view from the adjoining right-of-way.
(3) 
Enclosures for dumpsters or similar structures shall provide a concrete pad for the entirety of the enclosed space.
(4) 
The enclosure shall be a minimum of one-foot taller than the equipment or structure which is being screened.
(5) 
When a dumpster is added to any developed site for regular use, such dumpster shall be enclosed pursuant to this section.
A. 
Where screening is required, the screen shall consist of one of the following (Figure 390-94A):
(1) 
A solid uniform wall or fence having a height of at least four feet and sufficiently dense to obscure vision through it. In no case shall wire or cyclone fencing materials be permitted. High-quality, low-maintenance materials such as brick and vinyl are strongly recommended. Wood fence may be permitted if it is properly treated as often as necessary to maintain the look of new wood.
(2) 
Evergreen landscape material having a height of at least six feet and sufficiently dense to obscure vision through it.
(3) 
A three-foot-tall vegetative berm designed with a maximum slope ratio of three feet horizontal to one-foot vertical, with a minimum of a two-foot level area at the top of the berm and slopes stabilized plant materials. The berm may be used in conjunction with a wall, fence, or plantings to achieve the total six feet in height of screening.
B. 
When a greenbelt is required, it shall comply with the following landscape requirements (Figure 390-94B):
(1) 
The greenbelt shall be a landscaped strip at least 10 feet in width.
(2) 
The greenbelt shall be planted with living plant materials, including all of the following:
(a) 
Deciduous or evergreen trees not less than 12 feet in height. One tree is required for every 25 feet of greenbelt length; and
(b) 
At least one row of dense shrubs not less than five feet in height and spaced not more than five feet apart.
(3) 
No parking, loading, or accessory uses are permitted in the greenbelt.
C. 
The following chart defines site landscaping for front, side and rear yards for each zoning district, in addition to other landscaping standards contained in this chapter.
Screening and Greenbelt Required Landscaping
Zoning District or Use
Adjacent to
Required Landscape Elements
Location
Additional Requirements
Industrial
All residential zones and uses
Greenbelt4 and screen2
Along the side and rear property lines with the screen located on the inner edge of the greenbelt
Industrial
All other zoning districts except Industrial
Greenbelt4
Along the side and rear property lines
Industrial
Industrial Zone
Greenbelt4
Along the side and rear property lines
Multiple-Family Dwelling uses in MFR
SFR-A, SFR-B and one or two-family uses
Greenbelt4 or screen2
Along the side and rear property lines
Multiple-Family Dwelling uses in MFR
All other zoning districts
Greenbelt4
Along the side and rear property lines
C, CBD
All zoning districts
Greenbelt4 or screen2
Along the side and rear property lines
C, CBD
Public street or private roadway
Decorative brick and wrought iron fence or solid hedge1 and a minimum five-foot wide landscaped area3
Along property lines of all street frontages
Required where parking, loading or storage has been permitted by the Planning Commission in the front yard, and where determined by the Planning Commission
NOTES:
1.
To be determined by the Planning Commission as a condition of site plan approval.
2.
The Planning Commission may require a taller screen based on site conditions.
3.
The landscaped area shall include one tree for every 25 feet and one bush for every five feet of length.
4.
No parking, loading or accessory uses are permitted in the greenbelt.
A. 
All plant material shall be hardy to Ottawa County, be free of disease and insects, and conform to the American Standard for Nursery Stock of the American Association of Nurserymen.
B. 
Diversity. The overall landscape plan shall not contain more than 25% of any one species.
C. 
Native vegetation. At least 70% of new plantings shall be species native to West Michigan.
D. 
Deciduous canopy trees shall have a minimum caliper of 2 1/2 inches at time of planting, measured at four feet from grade.
E. 
Deciduous ornamental trees shall have a minimum caliper of two inches at time of planting, measured at four feet from grade.
F. 
Evergreen trees shall be a minimum of six feet in height at the time of planting. Evergreen trees may be planted in staggered rows to provide space for spreading and growth.
G. 
Shrubs shall be at least 30 inches in height at time of planting with a minimum spread of 24 inches.
H. 
Spreading shrubs shall have a minimum height of 24 inches at time of planting with a minimum width of 30 inches.
I. 
Ornamental grasses and perennials shall be a minimum pot size of two gallons when planted.
J. 
The following are suggested native plant species, and the use of native species is encouraged.
Suggested Native Plant Species
Plant Type
Common Name
Botanical Name
Canopy Trees
Red Oak
Quercus rubra
Hackberry
Celtis occidentalis
American Hornbeam
Carpinus caroliniana
Black Oak
Quercus velutina
Ironwood
Ostrya virginiana
Kentucky Coffee Tree (fruitless varieties)
Gymnocladus dioicus
Red Maple
Acer rubrum
Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum
White Oak
Quercus alba
Sycamore
Platanus occidentalis
Thornless Honeylocust
Gleditsia triacanthos f. inermis
River Birch
Betula nigra
Osage orange (fruitless varieties)
Maclura pomifera
Black Gum
Nyssa sylvatica
Ornamental Trees
American Hazelnut
Corylus americana
Eastern Red Bud
Cercis canadensis
Cockspur hawthorn
Crataegus crus-galli
Pagoda Dogwood (tree form)
Cornus alternifolia
Fringe Tree
Chionanthus virginicus
Allegheny Serviceberry
Amelanchier laevis
Evergreen Trees
Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus
Red Cedar
Juniperus virginiana
White Spruce
Picea glauca
Balsam Fir
Abies balsamea
Canadian Hemlock
Tsuga canadensis
Shrubs
Bush Honeysuckle
Diervilla lonicera
Common Juniper
Juniperus communis
Red osier dogwood
Cornus sericea
Highbush Blueberry
Vaccinium corymbosum
New Jersey Tea
Ceanothus americanus
Carolina Rose
Rosa carolina
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
Common Witch Hazel
Hamamelis virginiana
Michigan Holly
Ilex verticillata
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Spice Bush
Lindera benzoin
Shrubby cinquefoil
Potentilla fruticosa
Creeping Juniper
Juniperus horizontalis
American Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis
Ornamental Grasses and Perennials
Palm Sedge
Carex muskingumensis
Little bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum
Tufted Hairgrass
Deschampsia cespitosa
Sundial Lupine
Lupinus perennis
Bee Balm
Monarda fistulosa
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
Sweet Joe Pye Weed
Eupatorium purpureum
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
New England Aster
Aster novae-angliae
Blue Stemmed Goldenrod
Solidago caesia
Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
Wild Blue Phlox
Phlox divaricata
K. 
The following trees are not permitted in an effort to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the Village. Some of the plant species listed below are prone to splitting; having wood that is brittle and breaks easily; roots which clog drains and sewers; and or may be unusually susceptible to disease or insect pests. Existing trees of these species may not be counted toward the required number of trees for the development and need not be preserved on the development site. The plants included in this list denoted with an asterisk, have native varieties which are species permitted in naturalized locations where limited contact with people, vehicles, and structures can be obtained.
Prohibited Trees
Common Name
Botanical Name
Box Elder
Acer Negundo*
Tree of Heaven
Ailanthus
Ginkgo (Female)
Ginkgo Biloba
Ash
Fraxinus
Honey Locust (with thorns)
Gleditsia Triacanthos (with thorns)
Eastern Cottonwood
Populus Deltoids*
Mulberry
Morus species (Morus rubra*)
Black Locust
Robinia species*
Catalpa
Catalpa species*
Chinese Elm
Ulmus Parvifola
Silver Maple
Acer Saccharinum*
Willow Tree
Salix tree species*
Bradford Pear
Pyrus calleryana "Bradford"
Norway Maple
Acer platanoides