(A) Residential Subdividable Parcels:
1. This section shall apply to any residential subdividable parcel within the city for which approval for a discretionary project is requested and for which the following condition applies: Parcels having canopy cover by trees of at least ten percent (10%) as determined from baseline aerial photography on file with the planning department, a site survey or any other method acceptable to the approving body.
2. The following table shall be used to determine the minimum amounts of woodland canopy that must be retained during development on wooded lands. Canopy cover may be determined using any method acceptable to the approving body. Canopy removal beyond the minimum canopy retention standards shall be discouraged.
Existing Baseline Canopy Cover | Percentage Of Canopy To Be Retained |
80 - 100 percent | 0.60 x Existing baseline canopy cover |
60 - 79 percent | 0.70 x Existing baseline canopy cover |
40 - 59 percent | 0.80 x Existing baseline canopy cover |
20 - 39 percent | 0.85 x Existing baseline canopy cover |
19 percent or less | 0.90 x Existing baseline canopy cover |
Example: For 50 percent existing baseline canopy, the minimum allowable canopy after development would be 0.80x50%=40.0% canopy.
3. Retention standards shall be applied to retain stands of trees and undisturbed woodlands in priority over individual significant trees which will be incorporated into the development. Dead, insect infested, or diseased trees shall be included as part of the baseline canopy cover determination. "Significant forest alteration" defined herein shall also require a woodland alteration permit and plan.
(B) Significant Threshold: The minimum canopy retention standards shall be used as the threshold for significance under the California environmental quality act. (Ord. 1509, 5-24-1994)