(a) Findings. The County Council finds that it is in the public interest to offset the environmental impacts of development and address the loss of environmental resources, including trees and potential growing space for shade trees, and conserve tree canopy throughout the County. Trees and tree canopy constitute important environmental resources. Trees cleanse the air, offset the heat island effects of urban development, reduce energy needs, and provide oxygen. They improve the quality of life in communities by providing for a greater sense of well-being and increasing esthetic appeal and compatibility between different land uses. Trees filter groundwater, reduce surface runoff and soil erosion, help alleviate flooding, and supply necessary habitat for a diversity of wildlife. The Council finds that the damage to or loss of environmental resources as a result of development and other land disturbing activities is a serious problem in the County, and that establishing shade trees and tree canopy helps mitigate these losses and increase the diversity of species and age classes of trees. The Council finds that, given the expected survival rate of newly planted shade trees, at least 3 new shade trees should be planted to produce the canopy coverage of one mature shade tree.
(b) Purpose. The purposes of this Chapter are to:
(1) save, maintain, and establish tree canopy for the benefit of County residents and future generations; and
(2) provide for mitigation when environmental resources, including trees and potential growing space for shade trees, are lost or disturbed as a result of development, by establishing:
(A) shade tree planting requirements and standards; and
(B) a program to plant shade trees, including planting individual trees or groups of trees, on private and public property. (2013 L.M.C., ch. 21, § 1.)