Encinitas UFAC debates scope and mitigation in revised mature tree ordinance; sends several items for further review

The Urban Forest Advisory Committee spent the bulk of its meeting reviewing a subcommittee revision of a proposed mature tree ordinance intended to retain mature trees during private and public development, disincentivize pre-development clearing and increase the number and quality of replacement plantings when removal is unavoidable.

Subcommittee member Linda Schneider summarized the revision and its goals: retain mature trees during development; prevent developers from clearing trees in advance of permit filings; encourage planning around trees; and when removal is unavoidable require mitigation designed to increase future tree numbers and species quality. Schneider said the revision shortens the draft from 10 pages to 6, moves technical construction protections into an administrative urban forestry program manual, and narrows applicability to development situations (projects likely to allow the city to require protections only when a building permit or discretionary development application is filed).

She summarized key provisions the subcommittee changed from the original draft: consolidation of technical requirements into administrative procedures; making ordinance applicability linked to an application for development within two years rather than blanket coverage of all parcels; and removal of the original draft's hierarchy of relocation, replacement and fees-in-lieu in favor of fees-only mitigation (the committee planned to reconsider replacement rules later in the meeting). Schneider also explained the proposed enforcement penalties for unauthorized removals within two…