(A) Placing fill against the trunk of the tree, on the root crown, and under the drip line of the tree shall be prohibited.
(B) Tree protection measures must be installed before construction and remain in place until all construction activities are terminated.
(C) Measures required for protecting significant trees shall include:
(1) Installation of orange polyethylene laminate safety netting, or an equivalent form of safety netting, and metal stakes placed along the disturbance zone and around significant trees (at least one foot outside the drip line) to be saved;
(2) Installation of erosion control measures;
(3) Prevention of soil compaction or alteration of existing grades in critical root zones (at least one foot outside of the drip line);
(4) Placement of utilities in common trenches outside of the critical root zone of significant trees, or use of tunneled installation;
(5) Prevention of change in soil chemistry due to concrete washout and leakage or spillage of toxic materials, such as fuel or paints;
(6) Calculation of critical root zones of all significant trees near disturbance zone and adherence to maximum 25% removal of critical root zone;
(7) Root pruning during construction along all disturbance zones shall be done by hand with a chainsaw or with a machine designed for root sawing (machine will shatter roots);
(8) Pruning of oak trees must not take place from April 15 through July 1. If wounding of oak trees occurs, a nontoxic tree wound dressing must be applied immediately. Excavators must have a nontoxic tree wound dressing with them on the development site.
(9) Tree stumps to be removed by grinding, not with a bulldozer, in all areas where root pruning does not occur;
(10) Natural ground cover (not sod) shall be maintained where clusters or areas of significant trees exist;
(11) Removal of any diseased oak or elm trees located in areas to be preserved; and
(12) No vehicles or equipment parking or driving out of the construction boundaries.
(D) Optional measures to protect significant trees may include, but are not limited to:
(1) Installation of retaining walls to preserve trees;
(2) Reduced roadway width and paved areas when it can be illustrated that such variances save trees;
(3) On-site layout of roads and house pads;
(4) Flag lots and other unconventional lot shapes when it can be illustrated that such variances save trees;
(5) Variable setbacks when it can be illustrated that such variances save trees;
(6) Larger lots in treed areas;
(7) Common washout pond for cement, paint and the like, outside of woods;
(8) Basements dug with backhoe and material removed from site;
(9) Concrete pumped in;
(10) Specified stock pile areas;
(11) Prioritize trees to be saved; and
(12) PUD zoning.
(Ord. 20220120-01, passed 1-20-22)