Planning 2017-11-16 - TMC 18.54 TREE REGULATIONS WORK SESSION

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TO: City of Tukwila Allan Ekberg, Mayor INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM Tukwila Planning Commission FROM: Carol Lumb, Senior Planner Andrea Cummins, Urban Environmentalist DATE: November 6, 2017 SUBJECT: TMC 18.54, Tree Regulations Update ISSUE Update the City's tree regulations, found in TMC 18.54, to implement new urban forestry Comprehensive Plan goals and policies. BACKGROUND The current tree regulations were adopted 22 years ago in 1995, with minor Zoning Code revisions in recent years. Recognizing the sensitive nature of the policy decisions to balance environmental quality, property rights, aesthetics and natural functions, the Council developed a three-phase process to update this code, as well as the landscaping code, as follows: Phase 1: Tree and Environment Advisory Committee: team of Tukwila residents, business and professional experts, and Planning Commission and City Council representatives appointed to guide development of goals and policies on the natural environment and urban forestry. Committee met from September, 2012 to May, 2013 and provided recommendations to the Planning Commission. Phase 2: Update of the Natural Environment Element of the Comprehensive Plan incorporating the new policy direction from the Advisory Committee: Planning Commission and City Council review and adoption of the revised Natural Environment Element, June to December, 2013. Phase 3: Using the Advisory Committee process again, revise landscape and tree regulations in the Zoning Code to implement the Comprehensive Plan. The landscaping regulation changes were approved by the City Council in March, 2017. The current effort to update the tree regulations will complete work on implementing the Comprehensive Plan urban forestry goals and policies. DISCUSSION The Tree and Environment Committee re -convened in late September, 2107 to assist with the initial review of draft changes to the tree regulations found in TMC 18.54 and to review revisions to existing definitions in the Zoning Code and proposed new terms that relate to trees and landscaping, particularly the goal establishing tree canopy percentages for all zoning districts in the City. The Committee completed its work on November 1, 2017 and is forwarding proposed revisions to TMC 18.54 and revisions to the Zoning Code Definitions Chapter, TMC 18.06 for the Planning Commission's review. CL 9/15/2017 11:39 AM W:11Sharepoint\Long Range Planning12016-2017 Landscape & Tree Code Update\Tree Code\Planning Commission PC Info Memo 11-16-17 91