Tree Ordinance Amendments ZC06183

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Tree OrdinanceAmendments (ZC-06-183)

• Zoning Commission
• Work Session
• July 12, 2006

2
Presentation Objective

• Background on tree ordinance provisions in Fort
  Worth
• Proposed changes to tree ordinance
• Public input and comments
• Next steps

3
Background

• 1998 Landscape Ordinance
• Nov. 2004 moratorium on the removal of
  protected trees
• Jan. 2005 ordinance change to allow the removal
  of certain trees and replacement requirements for
  trees removed outside of those certain areas
• Citizen Advisory Committee review of other
  ordinances and recommendation on possible changes

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Existing Ordinance

• Requires tree removal permit for trees greater
  than 6 inches in diameter that are of certain
  species
• Permit must be issued if the trees are located
  within proposed building footprint, parking or
  drives for a project
• Other protected trees are allowed to be removed
  on a one inch for one inch replacement
• Some limitations due to State Law on which
  properties these regulations apply (SB 574)

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Proposed Ordinance

• All tree removals and planting requirements are
  based upon canopy cover (City goal of a 30
  coverage)
• Residential 40 (25 with required one tree per
  5000 square foot of lot area)
• Commercial 30
• Industrial 20
• 25 of the existing trees on a site must be
  retained
• Parking areas must have 40 canopy coverage
• Planted trees receive credit for ultimate canopy
  size
• Trees larger than 30 inches in diameter shall be
  preserved
• Extra credit for canopy area
• Additional preservation or planting required if
  the tree must be removed

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100 Acre Tract
80 Canopy Cover (80 acres of tree cover)
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100 Acre Tract
80 Canopy Cover (60 acres of tree cover could be
removed)
Retain 25 of the existing canopy cover (20 acres)
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100 Acre Tract
Retain 25 of the existing canopy cover (20 acres)
Tree Planting to reach land use goal (i.e.
residential 40 goal, thus 20 acres of canopy
establishment)
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Public Input and Comments

• Email notice to neighborhood associations on June
  7 Proposed text amendment posted on the Citys
  Website
• Article in City Page on June 12th
• Public Information and Input meetings
• June 15th RD Evans Community Center
• June 19th Handley Meadowbrook Community Center
• June 20th Botanic Garden

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Public Comments from Meetings

• Improve definition of a tree
• Discount canopy coverage credit for trees planted
  in less than idea conditions
• Determine if the tree removal permit still needs
  to be acquired
• Public notice of tree removals
• Possible different minimums for large trees i.e.
  post oaks greater than 12 should be protected
• Define the individual who will be responsible for
  allowing a planted tree or preserved tree to die
  within the warranty period
• Application of these regulations should be
  applied to City projects as well
• The exemption of one acre or less residential
  lots should be re-studied
• Protection of large trees should be reduced to 20
  inches in diameter
• Concerns on State Law limitations of Cities to
  make changes to tree preservation requirements

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Public Input and Comments

• FW Garden Club endorsement
• League of Neighborhood
• Concerns of prior notice of public information
  and input meetings (too short)
• Believes regulations are developer friendly
• Desires exemption for one acre or less
  residential lots only apply to resident-owner
• Possible additional public comments or
  consideration on residential tree removals

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Implementation upon adoption

• Park and Community Services Department will
  manage the permitting, plan approval, appeals and
  enforcement
• Department proposed budget includes a program
  improvement that would fund 7 APs, supplies,
  contractual services and capital (vehicles) for a
  first year cost of 596,652. Second year funding
  is estimated to be 379,552.
• Expenditures would be partly covered by a tree
  permit/plan fee of 45 per acre (estimated income
  would be 360,000)
• Should the text amendment be adopted it would be
  recommended to have an effective date of January
  2007. This would allow recruitment, training,
  development of systems and public education

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Next Steps

• Council briefing of the public information and
  input on July 11, 2006
• Zoning Commission conduct a public hearing on the
  proposed revision on July 12, 2006 and continues
  the consideration to their next regularly
  scheduled meeting
• Develop alternative language in the text
  amendment addressing input from meetings and
  Zoning Commission by July 28th
• Zoning Commission conducts second public hearing
  and forwards a recommendation to the City Council
  on August 9th
• Council consideration on either August 15th or
  September 12th (evening meeting)