The following guidelines shall be adhered to whenever any city project shall involve proposed removal, pruning or other alteration of trees and shrubs which are growing within existing rights-of-way or upon lands owned by or controlled by the city:
(A) Step I. The city department concerned shall identify projects involving tree removal or tree alterations which require coordination with the Appearance Commission (such as, street paving, sidewalk construction/repair, utility line construction, playground/park modification or expansion, urban renewal/redevelopment, and the like).
(B) Step II. Public Utilities Department shall draw plans for such projects. Drawings will indicate trees planned for removal circled in red. Where trees are planned for removal and the reason is not in accordance with the annexes to this procedure, the reason will be outlined.
(C) Step III. The city department concerned will submit project plan to the designated members of the Appearance Commission for their review. Concurrence with the plan or recommendations for changes will be requested not later than a specific date which will provide the Appearance Commission a minimum of seven calendar days.
(D) Step IV. The Appearance Commission will return the plans to the city department within the time allocated along with written concurrence or recommended changes.
(E) Step V. The city department will review recommended changes and reasons submitted by the Appearance Commission and where feasible, integrate recommended changes. If all recommendations cannot be accommodated, the department will notify the Appearance Commission designee and schedule a meeting with the Appearance Commission and the City Manager and review the Department's final plans and reasons for not using all recommendations.
(F) Step VI. The city department will review recommended changes and integrate into its plans those changes it has no objection to. If the department has objections to any of the recommendations, it shall promptly request a meeting with the Appearance Commission and attempt to settle the matter. The city or the Appearance Commission may request a public hearing if public interest is involved or may be helpful in resolving the differences.
(G) Step VII. If the city department, City Manager and the Appearance Commission are unable to resolve the issues, such matters shall be placed on the agenda for the next meeting of the City Council for resolution.
(H) Step VIII. The decision of the City Council shall be final.
('70 Code, § 20-37) (Ord. 1981-46, passed 8-3-81)