HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-05-04 - AGENDA REPORTS - OAK TREE ORD OVERVIEW (2)CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO: Ma Kellar and Members of the City Council
Bernd Members of the Planning Commission
FROM: en Pul art5p, City
DATE: May 4, 2004
SUBJECT: OAK TREE ORDINANCE AND PRESERVATION GUIDELINES OVERVIEW
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council to receive report regarding the current Oak Tree Ordinance and Preservation
Guidelines, and provide staff with direction on how to proceed.
BACKGROUND
The Oak Tree Ordinance (Ord. No. 89-10) was passed by the City Council of the City of Santa
Clarita on April 25, 1989. The Oak Tree Preservation Guidelines followed shortly thereafter on
September 11, 1990. The purpose of the Oak Tree Ordinance (Ordinance) and the Oak Tree
Preservation Guidelines (Guidelines) is to "protect and preserve oak trees in the City, and
provide regulatory measures designed to accomplish this purpose." The Ordinance grants the
City the authority to protect oak trees within the City, while the Guidelines establish permit
requirements, exemptions to the permit, the application process, oak tree reports, and criteria for
maintaining oak trees.
There are three types of oak tree permits available, oak tree removal; oak tree encroachment, and
oak tree pruning. Each type of permit can be categorized as "major" or "minor" depending on
the type and nature of work being done, and the size/condition of the tree(s) in question.
Currently, the City of Santa Clarita's Oak Tree Specialist works closely with residents and the
development community to ensure that the Ordinance is being followed. In addition, the Oak
Tree Specialist makes determinations on a case-by-case basis regarding applicable criteria for
compliance with the Ordinance and, in many cases, helps individual residents understand the
permit process.
It is staff's goal to provide any assistance needed to residents and developers to ensure that the
criteria of the Ordinance and Guidelines are met. In some instances, the process can be difficult
for residents to understand. As a result, staff is developing a shortened "checklist" of
information for residential use. This combined with service, provided by the Oak Tree
Specialist, will help to encourage residential compliance with the permit process.
Agenda Item: i
OAK TREE ORDINANCE AND PRESERVATION GUIDELINES OVERVIEW
May 4, 2004 — Page 2
ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS
Other actions as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
None
ATTACHMENTS
Oak Tree Checklist worksheet
DGP:sas
W:\ADMIMCCITEMS\2004\0504oak tree ord.ss..doc
City of Santa Clarita
Oak Tree Permit Checklist
Owner:
Address
Phone
There are three types of Oak Tree Permits, Encroachment, Pruning and Removal.
Each type of permit requires different amounts of information in order to process. The
information, or report style, is established by the Oak Tree Specialist during the field
inspection. The Oak Tree Report style is usually determined by the amount of
proposed impact to the tree. Major impacts are considered life threatening or can lead
to the decline of the tree.
Encroachment can have two levels of Impact; Minor Impact and Major Impact.
0 Permit Tyne ❑ Encroachment ❑ Pruning ❑ Removal
0 Report Style
❑ Major Impact/Oak Tree Report o Minor Impact Report o Pruning Report
0 Report Content
❑ Justification statement ❑ Photographs ❑ Other
0 Scope of work
❑ Describe impacts to oaks
❑ Describe encroachment(s) ❑ Other_
❑ Include oaks within 200' of the project area ❑ Include off-site trees
0 Site Plan — All site plans must include
❑ Location of all oak trees ❑ Drip line measurements ❑ Protected zone ❑ Numbering
❑ Drawings and Measurements of all proposed encroachments to oaks o Tagging
❑ Trunk diameter ❑ Protective Fencing Plan ❑ Other
0 Site Plan Type
❑ Architectural ❑ Building ❑ Grading ❑ Engineering ❑ Landscape
❑ Title Block ❑ Hand Drawn ❑ Plan Size ❑ Plan Scale
0 Physical Characteristics of Property
❑ Property Lines ❑ Proposed construction ❑ Land uses
❑ Streets, paved areas ❑ Buildings / Structures ❑ Set backs
❑ Parking, paved areas ❑ Underground Utilities ❑ Sewers
❑ Proposed grading ❑ Landscaping / Irrigation ❑ Other
Other
❑ Physical Evaluation - per guidelines ❑ Horticultural Evaluation - per guidelines
❑ Oak Tree Rating System - per guidelines ❑ Monetary Valuation - per guidelines
This checklist is valid until Inspected by: Date:
S:\URBFORSI�Oak\Draft DmumenB\FINAL DRAFT OAK TREE PERMIT CKLIST7.do