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with a diameter 8” or more. Staff has received complaints in the past that there <br />are substantial trees being removed without permits (and for no reason), and <br />lowering this threshold could ensure that additional trees of substantial size are <br />retained. <br />· Tree Replacement Policy: Currently the Municipal Code is silent as to whether <br />trees that are removed with a permit are required to be replaced. As a matter of <br />practice, however, staff has required either replacement of trees on a 1:1 basis or <br />payment of an in-lieu fee as a condition of the tree permit. The in-lieu fee is set at a <br />level equal to the cost of planting a replacement tree, and fees paid are deposited <br />into a City tree fund for planting of trees citywide. This practice has applied to <br />private property, as well as street trees. <br /> Council Consideration: Staff is recommending that the current practice that <br />requires trees to be replaced on 1:1 basis be codified. Furthermore, staff <br />recommends that the in-lieu payment be allowed for private property trees as an <br />option to the property owners. The Council may also consider whether the in- <br />lieu option should be extended to street trees, or if street trees should always be <br />replaced on a 1:1 basis (when safe to do so). <br />· Criteria for Removing Trees: The City has a relatively conservative approach to <br />tree removal. While some cities only require a permit and specific findings to <br />remove certain types of trees (usually deemed “heritage trees”) the City of <br />Redwood City requires a permit and findings for all trees. The Municipal Code does <br />mention “Heritage Trees”, but does not specifically call out any particular tree, and <br />simply extends permit requirements to all trees of a certain size. In order to remove <br />a tree, the City takes into consideration the following factors: <br />1. Condition of the trees with respect to disease, danger of falling, proximity to <br />existing or proposed structures and interference with utility services; <br />2. Necessity to remove trees in order to construct proposed improvements to allow <br />reasonable economic enjoyment of the property upon which trees are located; <br />3. Topography of land and the effect of tree removal on erosion, soil retention and <br />the diversion or increased flow of surface waters; <br />4. Number of trees existing in the neighborhood on improved property and the <br />effect of said tree removal on said neighborhood; <br />5. Good forestry practices, including, but not necessarily limited to, the number of <br />healthy trees that a given parcel of land will support. <br /> <br /> Council Consideration: The Council may consider not requiring a permit for <br />removal of some trees. For example, the City of San Carlos specifically <br />excludes Cypress Pines, Black Acacias and Eucalyptus from tree removal <br />permit requirements because they have been found to generally diseased or <br />invasive to the native environment. Please note staff has generally allowed <br />the removal of invasive trees on private property, due to the effect of invasive <br />trees on the native environment (finding #4 and #5), and would propose the <br />practice continue. <br />8.A. - Page 2