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Home My WebLink AboutItem 8.2 Heritage Tree Report CITY CLERK ........... AGENDA STATEMENT . CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: July 20, 1999 SUBJECT: Heritage Tree Report (Report Prepardd by: Anne Kinney, Assistant Planner) ATTACHMENTS: 1. Tree Preservation Ordinance Comparison Study RECOMMENDATION: I. Hear Staff Presentation ~~ 2. Deliberate 3. Provide direction to Staff on the preparation of a future City Tree Preservation Ordinance FINANCIAL STATEMENT: .' None DESCRIPTION: At the request of the City Council, staff has reviewed five Tree Preservation Ordinances from surrounding cities including Danville, San Ramon, Livermore, Pleasanton and Walnut Creek. The review identified each city's process for preserving trees on private property, criteria used to select trees for protection (such as size, species type, height, location, historical significance, visual prominence or special value to the community), definition of protected trees, the tree removal process and other elements to ensure heritage tree protection. ANALYSIS: The Dublin downtown area consists of a number of significant mature native trees including oaks, walnuts, cypress trees an_d.redwo~ds._..Exmples include the following: two mature oaks are~!ocat~d on ~e ~n _o.~.~ .e.~t com~r.,~.Du,~..l~,B_.~..ul~.~.~.~,~ the rear of the existing Chevron Station. - a 48" diameter walnut exists to the rear of the Shamrock ¥i!.!age Shopping center adjacent to the new residential development on Starward Drive. - A number of cypress trees exist adjacent to San Ramon Road in front cff?etc, p~ A mature redwood exists adjacent to Petsmart on the east side of ~a~or ~._!~,.~.9a..~,-. Eucalyptus trees even though they are non-native can be visually significant such as the stand along San RamOn Road to the rear of the Automat~i~_R~C~mpany. Trees located on non-resid~n~t[~ly zoned property are offered limited protection under the Zoning Ordinance. Approval to remove these trees may be granted if it is determined, that the tree health and not likely to survive (Arbofist report is required), if the trees constitute a high fire hazard or threat to persons, structures or property; or, if they impede public works projects. COPIES TO: In-house distribution ITEM NO. G:\planning\heritagetrees\ccsr At this time there is no City policy which addresses the On going maintenance of heritage trees or the protection of trees during construction. Many significant trees exist on residentially zoned property and are not currently protected from removal or destruction. Existing creeks within Dublin Such~as ~ih'~C-~6iir~, ~1~-0 .ci:e~ an~'~d~saj~iiF/i Creek (north of the Santa Rim Property) consist of a variety of oaks, California bay, Willow ~d ss;Cmore trees. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City CoUncil review the attached 'TreePreservation ( Survey', deliberate and provide dir~ii'~ii"t~'~'~i~i~' Ordinance. CITY OF DUBLIN - TPd?,E PRESERVATION ORDINANCE COMPARISON STUDY DUllLIN DANVILLE SAN RAMON LIVI~RMOI~,E WALNUT CREEK PLEASANTON Ti{EE PI{I~.SEI{VATION No (Scc.8.72.030A4 of Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ORDINANCE? the Zoaing Ordinance addresses the preservation of existing trees in noa-residential zoning districts) IS THERE A CITIZEN GROUP Yes (the Livermore Beautification Yes (the Action for Beauty INVOLVED IN SELECTION OF Committee designates ancestral Committee selects Heritage ANCESTRAL / HERITAGE TREES? trees to be protected under this Trees within the City. This is ordinance. A property owner can a separate process to the appeal the decision to designate a protection of trees under the tree on his/her property as a Tree Preservation Ordinance) ancestral tree to the City Council) ttOW IS A PROTECTED TREE DEFINED: - SIZE (SINGLE-STEMMED TREE) 24" diameter, measured 10" diameter, measured 30" diameter (any tree), 15" 28" diameter, measured at 55" diameter, measured at at 4'6" above natural at 3' above natural grade (oak), measured at 4'6" 4'6" above natural grade 4'6" above ground level grade above .atural ~rade ~ SIZE (MULTI-STEMMED TREE) 40" diameter (any tree). 20" 40" diameter, measured at 55" diameter (two largest (oak), measured at 4'6" 4'6" above natural grade trunks), measured at 4'6" above natural grade above ground level - PROTECTED SPECIES bay, cypress, maple, uative trees (oak, white any trees and oaks Any trees oak, madrone, buckeye, black Any trees (except fruit and oak, redwood, alder, California bay & walnut, locust nut trees when part of a sycamore sycamore, madrone, commercial orchard) coast redwood) _~ ~,,. - HEIGItT Any tree 35 feet or more in height - TREE OF ANY SIZE PART OF A Yes GROVE - A TREESHOWN 7'0 BE PRESERVED Yes Yes ON AN APPROVED DEVELOPMENT PLAN OR REQUIRED TO BE RETAINED AS A COA - A TREE REQUIRED 7'0 BE PLANTED Yes Yes AS A REPLACEMENT FOR AN UNLAWFULLY REMOVED TREE CITY OF DUBLIN - TREE PI~ESERVATION ORDINANCE COMPAI~SON STUDY I)UBI,IN DANVILLE SAN RAMON LIVEltMORE WALNUT CREEK I'LEASANTON - A MEMORIAL 7'REE '" Yes Yes - TREE OF IIISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Yes DESIGNAIED BY OFFICIAL ACIION - A STAND OF TREES DEPENDENT Yes UPON EA CH OTHER FOR SURVIVAL OR THE AREA 'S NATURAL BEAUTY -A RARE EXAMPLE OF A SPECIES Yes Yes NATIVE TO TItE AREA - AN EXCEPTIONAL SPECIMEN IN Yes Yes Yes REGARD TO SIZE, AGE, HEALTIt, LOCATION OR VISUAL PROMINENCE OR SPECIAL VALUE TO COMMUNITY 1S A PERMIT I/,EQUIRED TO No (subject to approval Yes (subject to Yes (subject to exceptions) Yes Yes (a permit is required to Yes (subject to exceptions) DESTROY OR REMOVE A of Community exceptions) remove any tree) PROTECTED TREE? Development Director requires submittal of arborist report)* WtlO APPROVES A TREE Planning Department Planning Services Manager Department of Parks & Trees Public Services Director or Director of Public Works & REMOVAL PERMIT?** or designee designee Utilities or designee IS A PUBLIC IIEARING No No No No Yes, where the applicant REQUIRED?*** applies to remove a tree on the grounds that it has a significant impact on the property, the Director shall conduct a public hearing TO WHOM CAN A DECISION BE PC and TC PC Beautification Committee Design Review Committee Heritage Tree Board of APPEALED? Appeals and/or CC DOES TIlE ORDINANCE COVER ANY OF TIlE FOLLOWING: - PRUNING AND MAINTENANCE Yes Yes - PROTECTION OF TREES DURING Yes Yes Yes CONSTRUCTION/DEVELOPMENT CITY OF DUBLIN - TREE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE COMPARISON STUDY DUBLIN DANVILLE SAN RAMON LIVERMORE WALNUT CREEK pLEASANTON PRESER VA TION AND Yes Yes MAINIENANCE OF EXIS'ITNG TREES - ANY PUBLIC UTILITY INSTALLING OR Yes MAINTAINING OVERItEAD WIRES, UNDERGROUND PIPES OR CONDUITS IN THE VICINITY OF A ftERITAGE TREE REQUIRES PERMISSION FROM TIlE DIRECTOR PROIR TO PERFORMING ANY WORK * Under Section 8.72.060 Tree Removal/l~,eplacemeat, Dublin Zoning Ordinance, the removal of the majority of trees in a parking area (residential or commercial) requires Site Development Review approval ** If a tree removal permit is being requested as part of a larger development project, the tree permit shall be considered by the decision-making body approving the whole project *** Except, when a ~ree removal permit is requested as part of a larger development project, the free permit shall be considered at the public hearing for the whole project