(A) The property owner shall install one and one-half replacement canopy trees of equivalent canopy area for every one non-specimen canopy tree permitted to be removed. City officials shall round up to the nearest whole number to calculate the required amount of replacement canopy trees. Existing site vegetation may be taken into consideration by city staff when determining replacement.
(B) For specimen trees only, the replacement canopy tree calculation shall be obtained by a certified arborist using tree appraisal guidelines set in the most recent edition of the Guide for Plant Appraisal published by the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers and submitted to the city for review. Appraisal guidelines shall determine a dollar value for the requested removed tree which shall include purchase price of the replacement trees plus installation cost. The city shall use the specimen tree's dollar value to calculate the compensatory required number of replacement canopy trees.
(C) The ultimate goal of the city shall be to replace canopy for canopy. The following replacement canopy tree minimum specifications shall be for Category I through IV, as listed below.
(1) Category I canopy trees: minimum of 14' in height and 3" diameter at breast height.
(2) Category II canopy trees: minimum of 12' height and 2" diameter at breast height.
(3) Category III small trees: minimum of 10' in height and 1.5" diameter at breast height.
(4) Category IV palms: minimum of 10' in height and a mature canopy spread of 10'.
(D) The property owner shall install one Category IV palm for every one palm removed. A multi-trunked palm shall be considered as one palm. Three Category IV palms in close proximity to each other may be used as one canopy replacement tree.
(E) If the number of required replacement trees is greater than five, the city shall require the property owner to install no more than 20% of any given species.
(F) Written approval must be obtained from the city prior to installation if the minimum tree size is commercially unavailable. Credit at the city's discretion may be given to a property owner for the installation of larger trees.
(G) If determined by the city that the replacement value for a removed tree is not feasible due to lack of available planting space on site only, the property owner shall hire qualified landscape personnel and submit a mitigation plan in accordance with the conditions set forth in § 155.680. This requirement may be waived by city landscape personnel for limited scope projects.
(H) Property owner may be required to submit a mitigation plan in accordance with conditions set in § 155.680 for removal of Category I invasive tree in the most recent document compiled by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC) for the south region.
(Ord. 2021-02, adopted 3-17-21; sought to be reconsidered, Commission passed 4-21-2021)