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Plymouth City Code 530.01 <br />Section 530 - Tree Preservation <br />530.01. Findings and Purposes. <br />Subd. 1. The City Council recognizes that preservation and replanting of trees is <br />important on new development sites in order to maintain a healthy and desirable <br />community. The City Council also recognizes that a certain amount of tree loss is an <br />inevitable consequence of the urban development process. The City Council finds that <br />these tree preservation regulations help to establish a balance between an individual's <br />rights to develop his or her property, and the needs of the community to protect all <br />aspects of the natural environment and to provide housing, services, and employment <br />opportunities within the City. <br />Subd. 2. The purposes of these tree preservation regulations include, but are not <br />limited to, 1) prevention of soil erosion and sedimentation, 2) improved air quality, 3) <br />reduced noise pollution, 4) energy conservation through natural insulation and shading, <br />5) control of the urban heat island effect, 6) increased property values, 7) protection of <br />privacy by maintaining and establishing buffers between conflicting land uses, and 8) <br />providing habitat for wildlife. <br />530.03. Scope. The regulations contained in this section shall apply to all <br />properties involving 1) a preliminary plat application received after August 15, 1995, or <br />2) a lot division application resulting in the creation of one or more new development <br />parcels, received after August 15, 1995. The City does, however, strongly encourage <br />preservation of healthy trees on all properties within the City. (Ord. 2009 -08, 5/12/2009) <br />530.05. Removal Threshold. <br />Subd. 1. Developments in residential districts may remove or disturb up to 50% <br />of the total inches of significant trees. Any removal or disturbance beyond this threshold <br />shall require reforestation or restitution. <br />Subd. 2. Developments in non - residential districts may remove or disturb up to <br />75% of the total inches of significant trees. Any removal or disturbance beyond this <br />threshold shall require reforestation or restitution. <br />530.07. Reforestation/Restitution Requirement. If a development exceeds the <br />allowable removal or disturbance threshold specified in Section 530.05 above, the <br />subdivider shall either reforest appropriate areas within the site (or outside the site if <br />appropriate locations within the site are not available) or pay restitution, or provide a <br />combination thereof. For each one (1.0) tree inch that is removed or disturbed beyond <br />