Alta planning commissioners amend tree-removal rule to allow defensible-space work with approved site plan

The Alta Planning Commission voted to amend the town—s vegetation-management ordinance so property owners may remove trees for required WUI defensible space if they submit a site plan that the building official approves.

The amendment modifies Section 9-3-3(f) to say the removal-and-replacement rules do not apply to defensible-space requirements of the adopted Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) code so long as "a site plan indicating trees to be removed is submitted and approved by the building official." Commissioners approved the change by voice vote.

Commissioners said the change is intended to remove a potential conflict between the town—s existing tree-protection rules and new WUI requirements, while keeping town oversight. "So long as the site plan indicating trees to be removed is submitted and approved by the building official," the amended language makes explicit how defensible-space work will be processed under the town—s vegetation rules.

The change followed a public hearing held at the start of the meeting. Public commenters urged care in how the WUI and local code interact. Mark Levin, who submitted written comments and spoke during the hearing, said he supports using fire-resistant construction and fuel-reduction work but asked for clear exceptions to the town—s restrictions on construction and tree removal for properties that…