The Planning Department shall review the tree removal request based on the following criteria:
(A) The permit application shall be processed within seven (7) days, except that no tree removal permit shall be issued until the owner/developer has applied for a building permit and all pertinent subdivision and site plan reviews have been approved.
(B) The signing of the certificate of approval on a subdivision plat and approved engineering drawings shall be considered as an issued permit under the terms of this subchapter. This shall only allow that clearing necessitated by the installation of the approved public improvements. However, tree preservation measures may still be required for exceptional specimens and trees within these areas after review in the field by the Planning and Engineering Departments.
(C) Reasonable efforts shall be made on the property to save and design around existing healthy trees. Preservation of exceptional specimen trees may be required after review in the field by the Planning Director or his designee. However, this shall not reasonably restrict the development of a permitted use and shall not create an unsafe condition.
(D) Effort shall be made to preserve enough trees on site so as to maintain the character of the existing tree coverage in the neighborhood based upon the number, type, size and distribution of trees.
(E) Exceptional specimen trees approved to be removed shall be replaced with trees of the same species or other species as approved by the Planning Director. Replacement trees shall have a two (2) inch caliper and shall be a minimum of ten (10) feet overall height immediately after planting. One (1) replacement tree as described above shall be planted for each six (6) inches of trunk diameter of those exceptional specimen trees removed. In addition, all required trees as set forth in § 185.142, the off-street parking area landscaping requirements, shall have a one (1) inch caliper at planting.
(F) Efforts shall be made to preserve specimen trees and those trees which are of significant historical, aesthetic, or ecological importance to a site and/or the city.
(G) Efforts shall be made to preserve trees which are in required landscape areas or yards.
(H) Efforts shall be made to select, design and locate permitted signs so that they do not necessitate the removal of trees.
('74 Code, § 22½-16) (Ord. 89-12, passed 4-27-89; Am. Ord. 94-03, passed 2-17-94)