(A) The standards outlined below are intended to encourage the preservation of quality and mature trees by providing credits, at City Commission approval, toward the required trees for green belts, buffer zones and within parking lots.
(B) All trees over eight inches caliper shall be identified on the site plan with notations of trees to be preserved and trees to be removed.
(C) Trees intended to be preserved shall be noted with a unique symbol on the site plan and be protected during construction through the use of construction fencing at or beyond the dripline of the tree or trees to be preserved.
(D) Trees to be preserved shall be considered for credit only if they are located on the developed portion of the site as determined by the City Commission. The City Commission pursuant to site plan approval may allow credit for such plant material preservation if it will maintain and encourage the intent of the chapter. To obtain credit consideration the preserved trees shall be of a high quality and at least two inches caliper.
(E) Credit consideration for preserved trees shall be:
TABLE 10-4 Preserved Tree Credit | |
Preserved Tree Caliper* (Inches) | Number of Trees to be Credited |
12 inches and over | 3 |
8 inches to 11.99 inches | 2 |
2 ½ inches to 7.99 | 1 |
*Caliper is the diameter of a tree trunk and shall be measured at a height six inches above the existing grade up to and including four inch caliper size and 12 inches above the existing grade for larger sizes.
(F) To protect and encourage the continued health and vitality of the preserved trees, the ground within the dripline of the trees shall be maintained in the existing natural state. Storage of soils or other materials during or after construction within the tree dripline is prohibited.
(G) If preserved trees die within three years after construction the property owner shall replace with the number of trees that would have been required had the tree preservation credit not been provided. Said trees shall be replaced within 30 days of written notice from the city or within an extended time period as specified in said notice.
(H) The minimum number of required trees shall not be reduced by less than 50% through the use of approved tree credits. However, the City Commission during site plan review, may determine existing landscaping or screening intended to be preserved would provide comparable required landscaping, buffering or screening.
(I) After a site plan is approved, special permission by the City Commission will be required for the removal of trees proposed to be preserved on the site plan. The City Commission may condition their removal on their being replaced with the number of trees that would have been required had the tree preservation credit not been provided prior to site plan approval.
(Ord. 616, passed 9-23-2013)