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Council leans toward higher tree-mitigation fee tied to planting costs; draft code streamlines credits
Summary
Staff presented an updated tree ordinance that replaces per-tree fee categories with a pooled "mitigation-inch" approach, increases credit opportunities for on-site preservation and planting, and offered two fee options; council favored the higher option that approximates planting plus irrigation costs.
Zane Brown, development support manager, presented a revised tree ordinance and a proposed change to how the city calculates tree-mitigation fees. The draft replaces multiple per-tree fee categories with a single mitigation-inch approach and expands credit opportunities for preserving and planting trees on private lots.
Why this matters: The draft aims to simplify fee calculations, incentivize preservation and on-site planting, and better align fee amounts with the real cost of replacing trees. Council input was requested on which mitigation-inch fee to bring forward.
Brown explained the mechanics: after measuring removed trees, staff would convert inches removed to mitigation inches using a ratio (heritage trees 3:1, very…
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