Ela Township landscaping plan doesn't pass muster

Ela Township's revised landscaping plan for 5 acres where it plans to build a new town hall/office failed to meet the Lake Zurich tree commission's requirements.

The township violated a village ordinance last month when it clear-cut 112 trees from the property at 1155 E. Route 22, and from adjacent Knox Park.

Tree Commissioner Al Froehde said Wednesday the township's revised landscaping plan, which now includes about 71 trees, didn't pass muster.

The tree commission wants the township to replace all 112 trees cleared. It also objected to the plan's ratio of parking lot to landscaping.

"We have an ordinance that says that 15 percent of the parking lots need to be landscaped," Froehde said. "For every 10,000 square feet of parking lot, you need 1,500 square feet of landscaping. And they didn't meet that criteria. We want the 15 percent."

Township officials claim they have a waiver from the village plan commission on that requirement, which officials are still verifying.

The township contractor cleared 85 of 94 trees that were to be protected on the 5-acre site, according to a village-approved tree preservation plan submitted by the township.

An additional 27 trees in the township's Knox Park, that were not part of the construction project, also were destroyed.

Most of the removed trees were black walnuts, cherry, Osage orange, silver maple and some buckthorn, according to the village arborist.

Ela Township at the time said the trees were older, dying or diseased and had to be removed. Yet, village staff had no chance to inventory the trees and determine their caliber, size and health, as required by ordinance.

Jeff Pathmann, the township's architect, said most of the trees were always tagged for removal on the township's engineering plans.

"We needed to take the trees down that were removed in order to get the building and parking lots in," Pathmann said. "It makes no difference. We have to meet the requirements of the village and that's what we intend to do."

The commission asked the township to resubmit a landscaping plan that includes its recommendations and addresses neighbors' concerns about buffering.

It should include trees along the boundary line between the existing Knox Park, that were removed, and residents on the south side. It should also include a berm on the park's east side with plants to meet the village's buffering requirements.

"We are going to make this thing look nice again," Ela Township Highway Commissioner Bill Kruckenberg said. "It will be a standout piece for the village and the township."

That plan will be presented at the commission's regular meeting, 7 p.m. June 17 at the village public works facility, 505 Telser Road.