Planning 2018-01-11 Item 4 - TMC 18.54 Tree Regulations Update - Attachment E: Staff Report on Land Use File L17-0077 / TMC 18.06 and TMC 18.54 Revisions

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Members of the Planning Commission Staff Report L17-0077, Revisions to TMC 18.06 Definitions, and TMC 18.54, Tree Regulations December 28, 2017 DISCUSSION OF PROPOSED CHANGES The Tukwila Tree and Environment Advisory Committee draft tree regulations (Attachments A and B) and draft revisions to the Zoning Code's Definitions, TMC 18.06 (Attachment C) contains proposed changes to the City's the Zoning Code. Below is a summary of each subsection of the draft Tree Regulations and Definitions. The proposed draft tree regulations and changes to definitions have been annotated to provide sources of the material and to note when the Advisory Committee or Planning Commission made changes to the initial staff draft. A. Proposed Revisions to TMC 18.06, Definitions A number of new definitions are proposed to be added to the Zoning Code to incorporate terminology that is related to urban forestry and the management of the City's tree canopy resources. Many of the proposed revisions are annotated to provide sources for the proposed changes. Proposed new definitions include: at -risk tree, critical root zone, diameter at breast height (DBH), dripline, exceptional tree, heritage tree or heritage grove, invasive plant and tree list, invasive tree, nuisance tree, pruning, qualified tree professional, risk, site disturbance, street tree, target or risk target, tree risk assessment, tree risk assessor, tree removal, topping, viable tree and windfirm. B. Proposed TMC 18.54, Urban Forestry and Tree Regulations: TMC 18.54.010. Purpose: The purpose section of the chapter has been expanded to add references to the new Comprehensive Plan goals and policies related to urban forestry, and low impact development and to recognize the benefits that trees provide to the built environment. TMC 18.54.020: Scope: This subsection is a carry-over from the current regulations. TMC 18.42.030. Tree Permit Required: Revisions to this subsection anticipate a variety of Tree Permits, depending on whether: tree removal is the objective; or work will occur in the critical root zone; a Heritage Tree is proposed for removal or more than 20% of existing crown is proposed for pruning; or removal is related to utility work. The subsection also identifies activities that are exempt from the need for a Tree Permit and when an arborist's report must be submitted as part of the Tree Permit. TMC 18.54.040. Permit Submittal Requirements: Most of this subsection is from existing Tree Code. Single family tree removal is proposed to be regulated differently with a Tree Inventory Survey rather than a Tree Permit required. TMC 18.54.050. Permit Approval Criteria, General: This subsection has been revised to provide general guidance on the criteria for permit approval. The criteria are then spelled out in more detail in proposed TMC 18.54.060, 18.54.070, 18.54.080 and 18.54.110. CL Page 4 of 6 1/2/2018 5:49 PM W:A\Long Range Projects\2016 Landscaping and Tree Code Update\Draft Tree Regs\Planning Commission\Staff Rpt. Tree Code 48