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Surf City restores residential tree-canopy requirement in ordinance update
Summary
Council reinstated a residential tree-canopy ordinance to return minimum planting requirements for new residential development; the change reintroduces square-foot thresholds and minimum caliper/height guidance and passed after a brief public hearing.
The Surf City Town Council voted to adopt an ordinance amendment restoring residential tree-canopy planting requirements that had been omitted during the land-use-code update.
Planner Sean Olds told the council the amendment would reinsert landscaping requirements previously in Appendix A, section 5.73 and would apply trees by lot square footage (for example, one tree in front and one in the rear for lots 10,000 square feet and below, with additional trees at larger sizes). Olds noted the town’s handbook lists a set of salt-tolerant approved species and that palms do not count toward the canopy requirement.
During the public hearing homeowner Gloria Blanton asked whether the requirements could be costly for townhome developments with limited planting space. Olds said the requirements apply at the overall development stage and that staff would provide guidance to reduce burdens in constrained scenarios. Another staff member confirmed minimum standards for replanted trees elsewhere in the code, including caliper and height guidance for mitigations.
The council opened and closed the public hearing and voted to adopt the amendment as presented.
Next steps: Staff will integrate the amendment into the ordinance text, update the town handbook links, and provide guidance for developers on compliance and mitigation options.
