Agenda - Environmental Policy Board - 03/04/2013

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Sec. 117 -324. - Purpose; intent; design and maintenance principles; administration. (a) Purpose. The purpose of this division is to enhance the community and its citizenry, and not to be punitive or to cause hardship to any individual, private or public company. (b) Intent. The intent of this division is to provide regulations relating to the removal of trees to promote the orderly development of such areas and thereby minimizing public and private losses. Furthermore, this division will establish and maintain appropriate levels of diversity among tree species and age classes to provide a stable and sustainable community forest. The city council finds that the following objectives are important in achieving these goals: (1) To continue to seek recognition as a Tree City U.S.A. and to take all reasonable steps to promote planting and conservation of trees throughout the city; (2) To promote good design in new areas and provide sensitive and compatible infill development in existing commercial areas; (3) To control epidemic tree diseases and insect infestations which threaten the health of trees in the community; (4) To provide regulations that ensure the placement of trees along the street right - of -way for the purpose of protecting against excessive noise, heat, and glare, and to enhance the attractiveness and value of property; (5) To ensure that landscaping is an integral part of development, not an afterthought; (6) To foster and support community forest programs and encourage good tree management; and (7) To maintain and preserve the many benefits that trees provide including, but not limited to, the following: a. Character and aesthetics. 1. Trees buffer different land uses for the visual screening, noise, glare and heat abatement in transitional zones; 2. Trees conserve and enhance the city's quality of life and ecological and aesthetic environment, especially its valuable and rural atmosphere; and 3. Trees provide important psychological benefits to the persons within the city and neighborhoods. b. Wildlife habitat. Trees are essential to maintain wildlife habitat within the city. c. Energy conservation. Trees assist in the moderation of climate by providing shade, windbreaks, and the cooling of air; thereby reducing the requirements for air conditioning and heating and the subsequent utilization of energy resources. d. Air and water quality. 1. Trees aid in the filtering of stormwater as it passes through the soil to the groundwater;