2017-19 Amending City Code Chapter 48 Nuisances

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ORDINANCE NO. 2 01 7—19 ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY CODE - CHAPTER 48- -NUISANCES— BE IT ORDAINED, BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS: Section 1. That Section 9 of Chapter 48 of the City Code of the City of Decatur, Illinois, be, and the same is hereby, amended and modified so that said Section 9 shall provide as follows: 9. NATIVE PLANT LANDSCAPE AREAS. The City of Decatur seeks to prevent erosion of soil into Lake Decatur which serves as the main water source for the citizens of Decatur and surrounding areas. In order to reduce erosion, a lot or parcel of ground or any part thereof within the specific locations set forth below in the City may be improved with Native Plant Landscaping Areas under the terms and conditions set forth in this Section. A. DEFINITIONS. As used in this Section, unless the context requires otherwise: (1) "City"means the City of Decatur, Illinois. (2) "Garden" means a cultivated area dedicated to growing vegetables, fruits, flowers, ornamental grasses, groundcovers, shrubs and similar plants that are planted in a well-defined location. (3) "Native Plants" are those grasses, including prairie grasses, sedges (solid, triangular- stemmed plants resembling grasses), forbs (flowering broadleaf plants), trees and shrubs that are plant species native to or naturalized to the State of Illinois, excluding prohibited species, as defined by the Illinois Noxious Weed Law 505 ILCS 100 e .seg. and any Administrative Regulations implementing the Act and all species of running (monopodial) bamboo. Native plants do not include weeds. (4) "Native Plant Landscape Area" means a designated area comprised of native plants that are being or have been planted in a designated area. A Native Plant Landscape Area does not include gardens. (5) "Natural Area" means an area that has been purposely left to grow in a natural state and can maintain itself in a stable condition without human intervention and contains trees, shrubs, and native plants, excluding weeds and turf grass areas that contain more than fifty (50) percent turf grass. Flowers and non-native plants can be allowed provided that common weeds are not the predominant vegetation. (6) "Ornamental Grasses" means grasses that are not indigenous to the State of Illinois that are intended to add beauty to a garden. Ornamental grasses do not include turf grasses or weeds. (7) "Thinning" means the prescribed burning of Native Plant Landscape Areas pursuant to and under the guidelines as set forth in the Illinois Prescribed Burning Act 525 ILCS 37 et. sem. and any Administrative Regulations implementing the Act.