Planning 2018-02-15 Item 3 - Adoption of 1/25/18 Minutes

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• The City Attorney provided guidance on the questions regarding liability (Attachment F) • Information from the Public Works Department regarding the responsibility for taking care of trees that are in the public right-of-way (Attachment G) • Comments from Vern Meryhew, citizen, (Attachment I) • a comment letter from Greg and Vanessa Zaputil (Attachment J) • Chart of comments received and request for changes in the Tree Regulation Highlights given on the Tree Regulations: • These regulations affect primarily single-family residential homes that are outside of either the shoreline jurisdiction or a wetland, a steep slope, a stream or their buffers. • The City does not currently regulate the removal of trees onsingle-family property unless they are adjacent to or within a sensitive area. • We are looking at the Tree Regulations because of the Comprehensive Plan tree canopy goals. (listed in attachment C) • The tree canopy for commercial,industrial, and multi-family properties will be addressed through the Landscaping Code. • The amount of canopy for each of the zoning districts in the City, is taken from the City's tree canopy assessment prepared in 202: The low-density residential districts comprise approximately one third of the zoned'areain the City, and 'the canopy makes up approximately 59%. Because it was so high,the decision was made not to increase tree canopy when working on the Comp Plan goal but to maintain the current 47'0/o tree canopy in the City. • Once the City Council adopts the new Tree Regulations the Department of Community Development will work on handouts for educational purposes. • A Tree permit w6uld be requiredwhen doing work in a critical root zone;pruning a heritage tree more than 20% of the existing crown, for the removal of trees over 8"in diameter; if removing more that the number''oftrees allowed in a 36-month period; or when trees are illegally removed. • When tree replacement is required,the number of replacement trees is based on the size of the tree canopy. Hazard or defective trees are not required to be replaced,there is some suggested language to add to the regulations for clarification— staff will address later. • Arbbrist reports are not required for removal of trees on single-family properties,which was a change made by the Planning Commission. It is required for removal of heritage trees, or if development is on a site where heritages trees are in close proximity, and for proposed development,,Which are primarily for subdivisions or short plats greater than four lots. Commissioner Stander asked the following additional questions at tonight's meeting that she requested be included in the minutes. Question regarding the January 11, 2018,packet, staff report prepared December 28th, attachment E— Goal 4.13,Page 49 of the January 25, 2018 packet. Residential zone is not listed there,is it somewhere else? Staff: The last paragraph was left off on page 3 5, which should read, "no net loss of canopy cover in individual categories as listed below: Low Density Residential: maintain current Citywide coverage of 47% and Medium and High Density Residential maintain current Citywide coverage of 40%." Page 3 of 9 4