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City staff outlines plan to overhaul tree ordinance and expand post-storm cleanup
Summary
Public works staff told the Natural Resources and Environmental Commission the city will research other municipalities' tree codes, streamline permitting and present recommendations to the commission this spring, with ordinance drafting to follow later in the year; staff also provided updates on green-waste pickup and storm-related outreach.
City staff told the South Pasadena Natural Resources and Environmental Commission on Jan. 28 that it will research tree-ordinance approaches used by nearby cities and return to the commission with recommended code changes this spring, then seek council direction later in 2025 to draft amendments.
"What we're attempting to do is basically do a lot of research upfront ... then take that, your review of that research and your recommendations to the council on the policy issues we should be trying to tackle," the city staff member leading the presentation said. Staff identified Alhambra, Arcadia, Sierra Madre, Glendale and San Marino as models they are reviewing for how those cities handle arborist requirements, replacement rules and administrative processes.
Staff said the review aims to balance protecting the urban canopy with permitting efficiency, clarify which decisions should be administrative versus reserved for commission or council review, and address aging-tree maintenance and liability issues that have increased staff workload. Staff suggested a timeline that would include commission discussion this spring and ordinance work later in the year.
The presentation also addressed recent storm-related impacts. Staff described ongoing green-waste clearance and a temporary arrangement with Athens Services to collect up to six bundled or bagged green-waste items per household at no charge for affected residents. "If any resident would like to assist us in speeding up that process, they have the option to bundle or bag any green waste they have in front of their property," staff said.
Other operational updates noted in the meeting: the city has revised Athens contract rates effective Jan. 1 and Athens is conducting service assessments for commercial and multifamily accounts in preparation for SB 3283 implementation (as referenced in the presentation). The commission also heard that the city plans a Landscape Academy program at the senior center and a senior-only dumpster week Feb. 3–7 for residents 62 and older.
Commissioners and staff agreed the code overhaul will require an iterative, resourced effort and asked for a public outreach plan so residents and local arborists can participate in drafting clearer, less-duplicative rules. Staff asked for the commission’s patience as the work proceeds alongside other workloads and emergency response duties.
