Georgetown staff propose UDC changes to boost tree preservation, adjust impervious-cover rules and add traffic-calming requirements

Planning staff presented a package of proposed Unified Development Code (UDC) amendments to the City Council steering committee and asked for council feedback on tree-preservation credits, impervious-cover standards and circulation requirements.

Sofia (UDC project lead) said the steering committee reviewed draft language over several meetings and recommended changes intended to increase incentives for preserving trees and to improve administrative clarity. "The goals that we have been working towards have been to enhance incentives for retaining trees and planting new trees, improve readability and process associated with tree preservation," she said.

The measures under consideration and council questions included:

Tree preservation (Chapter 8) - On-site credit trees: the draft raises the allowable mitigation credit for existing protected trees from 75% to 100% in some cases, letting preserved on-site trees count fully toward mitigation obligations. - Heritage-tree credit: the draft proposes a 3:1 credit for heritage-tree inches preserved in excess of 50% of heritage inches on a site; the extra credit applies only when a site preserves more than half of its heritage tree inches. - Planted-tree credit: trees planted from the city's approved plant list…