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CASE # <br /> <br /> Public Hearing <br />INTRODUCE ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 9.24 <br />(TREE PRESERVATION) OF THE ZONING CHAPTER OF CITY CODE <br />By: Chris Anderson, Zoning & Recycling Coordinator <br /> <br />Background: <br /> <br />In September of 2003, the Tree Preservation ordinance went into effect. After working <br />with this ordinance for a couple of years now, Staff, in conjunction with the <br />Environmental Policy Board (EPB), has reviewed this ordinance and has determined that <br />several revisions are warranted. <br /> <br />Enclosed are the following documents: <br /> <br />a) Existing Tree Preservation Ordinance plus the proposed revisions <br />b) Proposed Ordinance to amend 9.24 of City Code <br /> <br />Observations: <br /> <br />The proposed revisions to the Tree Preservation ordinance focus mostly on the tree <br />inventory requirements that are applied when a development application is submitted. <br />Some minor revisions are also proposed regarding both the definitions section and the <br />hazardous and/or nuisance trees section. <br /> <br />Currently, all trees on a property are required to be inventoried, regardless of size or <br />location in relation to construction activity, by an ISA Certified Arborist. On larger sites <br />that are heavily wooded; this can be excessive to the point that the associated map of <br />trees becomes undecipherable. Furthermore, trees outside the limits of any construction <br />activity, even those on undevelopable land such as wetlands, are also required to be <br />individually inventoried. <br /> <br />At the time that the Tree Preservation ordinance was drafted, Chapter 9 (Zoning & <br />Subdivision of Land) was simultaneously being revised based on the 2001 <br />Comprehensive Plan. Several definitions in the Tree Preservation ordinance are no <br />longer necessary and/or applicable based on the revisions to Chapter 9. Additionally, <br />there are some provisions/requirements within the ordinance that are no longer <br />appropriate for various reasons. <br /> <br />The proposed amendments to the Tree Preservation Ordinance include the following: <br /> <br />· Inventory to include all evergreens and oaks that are at least four (4) inches in <br /> diameter and all other deciduous trees that are at least eight (8) inches in diameter. <br />· Only trees within developable areas of a site are required to be inventoried. <br /> <br />8 <br /> <br />123 <br /> <br /> <br />