Lake Zurich to OK Ela Township's new landscaping plan

Ela Township will replace more than double the number of trees it cleared from roughly five acres in Lake Zurich where the township is building its new town hall and offices.

The township violated a village ordinance in May when its contractor cleared 112 trees from the property at 1155 E. Route 22 and from adjacent Knox Park.

The township's revised landscape/tree preservation plan, which includes planting 139 additional trees on the five-acre site, gained approval from Lake Zurich's tree commission and public works committee last week. The Lake Zurich village board is expected to approve the plan tonight.

Per the village's tree ordinance, the township must plant 281 trees altogether to replace those felled, but only 139 would fit on the property, said village arborist Shawn Walkington.

"They really had enough trees on (there), putting more on it wouldn't really help the site," he said.

The revised landscape plan also meets the tree ordinance's requirement that 15 percent of the parking lots need to be landscaped, and allows for more diversity of trees on-site, said Al Froehde, Lake Zurich tree commission member.

"They were really trying to cooperate and do the right thing," he said. "I think that it was a very nice plan. They worked hard at it and did a nice job."

As for the remaining 142 trees, the township may be asked to plant those at various parks over the next three years instead of paying the $35,000 fine required by village ordinance, said Jeff Pathmann, architect for the township's project.

"We are going to meet to work out the details (so) there won't be a fine," Pathmann said.

Froehde said the tree commission has not formally accepted that resolution.

"We're really waiting for them to come forward with this type of proposal," Froehde said. "We would be receptive to it."

The commission will revisit the issue at its Aug. 19 meeting.