The following activities are exempt from the requirements of this Chapter:
(a) Routine landscaping, maintenance, and the removal of dead or diseased trees or shrubs, including trimming or mowing of vegetation to the limited extent required in order to comply with Chapter 4 of Division 8 of Title 6 of this Code, dealing with abatement of weeds and rubbish.
(b) Clearing for fire protection purposes within 100 feet of a dwelling unit. Any additional clearing for fire prevention, control or suppression purposes is exempt when authorized or required, in writing, by a fire prevention or suppression agency.
(c) Clearing limited to the least amount necessary for the purpose of surveying, geotechnical exploration and access for percolation tests and wells. This exemption does not include clearing for building pads or leach fields.
(d) Clearing incidental to the repair, alteration or construction of a single-family dwelling and accessory buildings and structures, pursuant to an approved building permit.
(e) Clearing conforming to the location, extent and purpose authorized, explicitly or implicitly, by an approved plot plan pursuant to a discretionary land use permit or a discretionary development permit.
(f) Clearing incidental to grading activities for which a grading permit has been issued pursuant to this Division, or which are exempt from a grading permit requirement pursuant to Section 87.202, paragraph (b), (c), (f) or (g) of this Division.
(g) Tilling or cultivating which is within the exemption of Section 87.202(d), (reading the terms of said exemption as if they applied to clearing rather than grading).
(h) Limited clearing to provide access to property to perform activities that would otherwise be exempt from the provisions of this Division.
(i) On land located outside the "MSCP Subarea" (as defined in Section 87.803 of this Division), clearing of up to a maximum of five acres, on a parcel zoned for single family residential use and improved with a single family residence. The amount of land cleared under this exemption shall not exceed a total of five acres, regardless of the number of occasions on which clearing is performed.
(j) On land located within the boundaries of the MSCP Subarea (as defined in Section 87.803 of this Division), clearing shall be exempt from this Division if it is exempt from the Biological Mitigation Ordinance pursuant to its terms.
(Added by Ord. No. 9547 (N.S.), effective 5-9-03; amended by Ord. No. 9634 (N.S.), effective 4-23-04)