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Commissioners press for review of tree-replacement standards after St. Simon item
Summary
Following the St. Simon hearing, commissioners debated whether the city’s tree-replacement standard (24-inch box) remains appropriate and discussed asking the City Council for guidance or a code amendment to consider larger replacement sizes; staff noted changing the requirement would require an ordinance change.
After the St. Simon School item, commissioners used the commissioners’ reports portion of the meeting to raise broader concerns about tree replacement standards and the city’s tree ordinance.
Several commissioners (notably Joe) questioned the practice of replacing mature trees with 24-inch box stock, arguing larger boxes (36-inch or 48-inch) can sometimes better preserve canopy and public amenity. Joe described tradeoffs between cost, survivability and time to canopy and asked for educational outreach so the commission can assess whether 24-inch minimums remain appropriate. "I would love to see some work on that with staff as it goes through the planning process," he said, and suggested bringing an arborist or expert for commissioner education.
Staff responded that the municipal tree ordinance, recently updated, currently requires a 24-inch box as the minimum replacement size and that changing that requirement would require a code amendment. Staff also said planners often have flexibility to secure additional landscaping beyond the minimum through the development review process and that applicants frequently exceed the minimum replacement standard.
Commissioners discussed options for pursuing changes, including raising the issue at an upcoming joint meeting with City Council and folding consideration into future objective-standards work. No formal motion or code amendment occurred; commissioners agreed to seek council feedback and possible inclusion of the topic on a future work plan or as an education item.
The discussion ended with commissioners asking staff about feasibility and staff noting resource and timing constraints; the commission adjourned after that exchange.
