Agenda - Environmental Policy Board - 03/16/2020

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would be based on the Canopy Cover Formula. However, again, based on the reforestation requirements, additional plantings are necessary to erase the 'gap' left after base landscaping standards are met. Thus, Staff does not see a need necessarily to require the plan to be revised to address this matter and finds the Landscape Plan generally acceptable pending feedback from the EPB on the reforestation question. Policy Question As the EPB is now seeing aspects of Land Use Applications, specifically the Landscape and Tree Inventory/Preservation Plans, and how current regulations impact projects, Staff would like the EPB to assess how well the reforestation standard is working. Prior to the adoption of the reforestation standard, projects were simply required to provide a tree inventory to inform the City of what was present on a site and what would remain after development. That, along with a desire to persuade developers to attempt to preserve higher quality wooded areas, was the major purpose for developing a reforestation standard. While reforestation is certainly a good thing, Staff would like feedback from the EPB on how its implementation is working. Presently, the same standard applies whether a site has a quality wooded area (e.g. oak woodland) or consists of mostly lower valued or less desirable species. Whether a project site is classified as a high quality natural community or an altered/non-native plant community, the same reforestation standard applies. Some things that Staff would like input on from the EPB are: • Should an attempt be made to base reforestation on the quality of the existing vegetation on site? • Should the City revisit the definition of a significant tree, specifically whether the size of oaks and evergreens should be increased? • Should the City develop a replacement value for groupings of species (e.g. desirable, less desirable, undesirable)? • Should a 'cap' be established in terms of maximum amount of reforestation and/or restitution that would be required, regardless of the amount of trees removed? • Does the EPB think that the current Tree Preservation Standards are appropriate as is? Funding Source: All costs associated with this review are the responsibility of the Applicant. Action: Based on discussion regarding reforestation specific to this project. Site Location Map Landscape Plan Tree Inventory Attachments Form Review Inbox Reviewed By Date Tim Gladhill Tim Gladhill 03/12/2020 03:54 PM Form Started By: Chris Anderson Started On: 03/06/2020 11:32 AM Final Approval Date: 03/12/2020