(A) General. This section provides definitions of the technical and other terms and phrases used in
this chapter as a means of providing consistency in its interpretation. Where any definition in this section may conflict with definitions in other titles of the Alhambra Municipal Code, these definitions shall prevail for the purposes of this Code. If a word is not defined in this section or in other provisions of the Municipal Code, the most common dictionary definition is presumed to be correct.
(B) Definition.
CALIFORNIA NATIVE. Those trees listed, maintained and organized by California regions by the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) as follows:
Species | Common Names | Plant Type |
Species | Common Names | Plant Type |
Abies concolor | Balsam Fir | Tree |
Abies grandis | Grand Fir | Tree |
Abies lasiocarpa | Subalpine Fir | Tree |
Abies magnifica | Balsam Fir | Tree |
Acer circinatum | Vine Maple | Tree |
Acer macrophyllum | Big Leaf Maple | Tree |
Acer negundo | Box Elder | Tree |
Aesculus californica | California Buckeye | Tree |
Alnus incana | Gray Alder | Tree |
Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia | Mountain Alder | Tree |
Alnus rhombifolia | White Alder | Tree |
Alnus rubra | Red Alder | Tree |
Arbutus menziesii | Madrone | Tree |
Betula occidentalis | Water Birch | Tree |
Bursera microphylla | Elephant Tree | Tree, Succulent |
Calocedrus decurrens | Incense Cedar | Tree |
Ceanothus velutinus | Tobacco Brush | Tree, Shrub |
Celtis reticulata | Western Hackberry | Tree |
Chamaecyparis lawsoniana | Port Orford Cedar | Tree |
Cornus sessilis | Miner's Dogwood | Tree |
Cupressus arizonica | Arizona Cypress | Tree |
Fraxinus dipetala | California Ash | Tree |
Fraxinus latifolia | Oregon Ash | Tree |
Fraxinus velutina | Velvet Ash | Tree |
Hesperocyparis bakeri | Baker's Cypress | Tree |
Hesperocyparis forbesii | Tecate Cypress | Tree |
Hesperocyparis macnabiana | Macnab's Cypress | Tree |
Hesperocyparis macrocarpa | Monterey Cypress | Tree |
Hesperocyparis sargentii | Sargent's Cypress | Tree |
Hesperocyparis stephensonii | Arizona Cypress | Tree |
Juglans californica | Southern California Black Walnut | Tree |
Juglans hindsii | Northern California Black Walnut | Tree |
Juniperus californica | California Juniper | Tree |
Juniperus communis | Common Juniper | Tree, Shrub |
Lyonothamnus floribundus | Island Ironwood | Tree |
Lyonothamnus floribundus ssp. aspleniifolius | Santa Cruz Island Ironwood | Tree |
Malus fusca | Oregon Crab Apple | Tree |
Olneya tesota | Desert Ironwood | Tree |
Parkinsonia florida | Blue Palo Verde | Tree |
Parkinsonia microphylla | Yellow Palo Verde | Tree |
Picea sitchensis | Sitka Spruce | Tree |
Pinus attenuata | Knobcone Pine | Tree |
Pinus contorta | Beach Pine | Tree |
Pinus contorta ssp. contorta | Shore Pine | Tree |
Pinus coulteri | Bull Pine | Tree |
Pinus edulis | Twoneedle Pinyon | Tree |
Pinus flexilis | White Pine | Tree |
Pinus Jeffreyi | Jeffrey Pine | Tree |
Pinus lambertiana | Sugar Pine | Tree |
Pinus monophylla | Oneneedle Pinyon Pine | Tree |
Pinus muricata | Bull Pine | Tree |
Pinus ponderosa | Bull Pine | Tree |
Pinus radiata | Monterey Pine | Tree |
Pinus sabiniana | Foothill Pine | Tree |
Pinus torreyana | Torrey Pine | Tree |
Piatanus racemosa | Western Sycamore | Tree |
Populus fremontii | Fremont Cottonwood | Tree |
Populus tremuloides | Quaking Aspen | Tree |
Populus trichocarpa | Black Cottonwood | Tree |
Prosopis glandulosa | Honey Mesquite | Tree |
Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana | Mesquite | Tree |
Prosopis pubescens | Screwbean Mesquite | Tree |
Prunus andersonii | Desert Peach | Tree, Shrub |
Prunus emarginata | Bitter Cherry | Tree, Shrub |
Prunus fasciculata | Desert Range Almond | Tree, Shrub |
Prunus ilicifolia | Hollyleaf Cherry | Tree |
Prunus ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia | Hollyleaf Cherry | Tree |
Prunus ilicifolia ssp. lyonii | Catalina Cherry | Tree, Shrub |
Prunus virginiana | Chokecherry | Tree, Shrub |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa | Western Chokecherry | Tree, Shrub |
Pseudotsuga macrocarpa | Bigcone Douglas Fir | Tree |
Pseudotsuga menziesii | Douglas Fir | Tree |
Psorothamnus spinosus | Smoke Tree | Tree |
Quercus agrifolia | Coast Live Oak | Tree |
Quercus berberidifolia | Scrub Oak | Tree |
Quercus chrysolepis | Canyon Live Oak | Tree |
Quercus cornelius-mulleri | Muller Oak | Tree |
Quercus douglasii | Blue Oak | Tree |
Quercus dumosa | Nuttall's Scrub Oak | Tree, Shrub |
Quercus durata | Leather Oak | Tree |
Quercus durata var. durata | Leather Oak | Tree |
Quercus engelmannii | Engelmann Oak | Tree |
Quercus garryana | Garry's Oak | Tree |
Quercus garryana var. breweri | Garry's Oak | Tree |
Quercus kelloggii | Black Oak | Tree |
Quercus lobata | Valley Oak | Tree |
Quercus parvula | Santa Cruz Island Oak | Tree |
Quercus parvula var. shrevei | Shreve Oak | Tree |
Quercus tomentella | Island Oak | Tree |
Quercus vacciniifolia | Huckleberry Oak | Tree |
Quercus wislizeni | Interior Live Oak | Tree |
Salix exigua | Sandbar Willow | Tree, Shrub |
Salix gooddingii | Goodding's Black Willow | Tree |
Salix laevigata | Red Willow | Tree |
Salix lasiandra | Shining Willow | Tree, Shrub |
Salix lasiolepis | Arroyo Willow | Tree, Shrub |
Salix scouleriana | Scouler’s Willow | Tree, Shrub |
Salix sitchensis | Sitka Willow | Tree, Shrub |
Sequoia sempervirens | Coast Redwood | Tree |
Sequoiadendron giganteum | Sierra Redwood | Tree |
Thuja plicata | Western Red Cedar | Tree |
Torreya californica | California Torreya | Tree |
Tsuga heterophylla | Western Hemlock | Tree |
Tsuga mertensiana | Mountain Hemlock | Tree |
Umbellularia californica | California Laurel | Tree |
Washingtonia filifera | Fan Palm | Tree |
DAMAGE. Any action undertaken which causes injury, death, or disfigurement to a protected tree. This includes, but is not limited to, cutting, poisoning, overwatering, topping, trimming, relocating or transplanting a protected tree.
DEVELOPMENT PERMIT. An application to use, alter, construct upon, or otherwise change the use of land or a structure.
MULTI-TRUNK. Any tree with multiple trunks attributed to a single tree. For purposes of determining the diameter of a multi-trunk tree, the diameter of each trunk shall be measured at a point four and one-half feet above the root crown, and the sum of the diameters shall be the diameter of the tree.
PROTECTED TREES. Includes the following:
(a) Quercus family trees (oaks) and California native trees taller than 15 feet, or with a trunk diameter larger than 12 inches in diameter, or 36 inches in circumference, measured at a point four and one-half feet above the root crown.
(b) Mature tree: A tree taller than 20 feet or with a trunk diameter larger 24 inches in diameter, or 75 inches in circumference, measured at a point four and one-half feet above the root crown.
PRUNING (also known as LACING). The removal of selected branches that are dead, a hazard to public or property, or are otherwise selected for removal while preserving the overall form of the tree. Pruning can be done to give a tree a more balanced appearance, to reduce the weight on one side of a tree in order to prevent the tree from toppling, or to remove branches that are at risk of breaking and injuring people or damaging property. Utilities may use pruning to selectively remove branches that interfere with overhead lines. PRUNING is distinct from topping or trimming a tree.
REMOVAL. The uprooting, cutting, or severing of the main trunk, of a protected tree.
ROOT CROWN. That portion of a protected tree trunk from which roots extend laterally into the ground.
TOPPING. The removal of the uppermost branches of a tree, or cutting the trunk, in order to reduce its height without regard to the overall form of the tree. Typically results in a horizontal cut across the trunk or a roughly spherical cut centered on the trunk.
TRIMMING. The alteration of the outward shape of a tree without regard to which branches are to be trimmed. Typically results in a geometric rather than natural shape. Hedges are trimmed to preserve a particular, frequently rectangular, shape. Topping a tree would be an extreme example of TRIMMING.
UNDEVELOPED PROPERTY. Land which is in its natural, original, or pristine state.
VACANT PROPERTY. Land on which no buildings or improvements have been erected or orchards planted but which may have been graded for drainage or other purposes.
(Ord. 4737, passed 7-23-18)