Twenty-eight inch Significant tree too close to our house / photo Yoder
Redmond City Council will make a decision on the proposed "Tree Regulations Update," Tuesday, June 7, 2022 at 7:00pm, City Hall. If you can't make it to their meeting to give testimony (4 minutes) email your comments to: MayorCouncil@redmond.gov.
RESOURCES:
Most of the improvements from the proposed updates are directed to large developments. For example, penalties are tripled for topping trees in native growth easements. And, replacement tree requirements for landmark removals are increased three-fold. Single Family Homes receive few benefits from the update. I've included some resources for assistance in sending comments to Council. Email: Council@redmond.gov.
ATTENTION: PROPOSED TECHNICAL TREE REGULATIONS RELEVENT TO DEVELOPERS (RCZ 21.72) AND INCLUDING SINGLE FAMILY HOME REGULATIIONS, BELOW:
1) Tree Replacement requirements for Single Family Homeowners: For every "landmark tree" removed (MINIMUM 30 INCHES DIAMETER) three replacement trees are required. For every "significant tree" removed (6 inch diameter) one replacement tree is required. Minimum sizes for replacement trees shall be two-and-one-half-inch caliper for deciduous trees and six feet in height for evergreen trees.
2) City of Redmond Residential Tree Removal Application. One heathy landmark tree may be removed every 365 days by deviation request and/or two "significant" trees may be removed every 365 days on a 10,000 sf lot.
Enforcement: All single family home permits are "enforceable" but are not enforced; They have no teeth. No fines, no penalties, no off-site planting or fee-in-lieu alternatives.
3) Single Family Homeowners support the Tree Canopy Strategic Plan by monitoring canopy changes against a citywide target of 40% coverage over 30 years.
Redmond's Tree Canopy by neighborhood: January 2019 (dated, over three years ago.)
Rose Hill/Willows: 49.9%, Idylwood: 40.3%, Education Hill: 40%, Bear Creek: 38.5%, Grass Lawn: 37.6%, North Redmond, 36.5%, Overlake: 31.7%, Downtown: 19.3%, Sammamish Valley: 17.2%, SE Redmond: 15.3%, Major deforestation in North Redmond.
4) "The Director of Planning & Community Development may consider smaller-sized replacement trees if: the applicant is a single-family homeowner applying for a tree removal permit and the homeowner will plant the replacement tree(s) versus hiring a contractor. In this case, the homeowner may request a waiver as part of the tree removal permit to have the size at installation of a deciduous replacement tree reduced to five-to-ten gallon sized trees. There is no waiver for size at installation for evergreen trees. The minimum size for evergreen replacements is six feet tall."
When is a tree removal permit required?
City of Redmond Residential Tree Removal Permit: No permit fee.
-- Bob Yoder, 5/18/22
Questions?
Contact Cathy Beam, Principal Planner
425-556-2429
As you may know, the City of Kirkland updated their Tree Regulations on March 15, 2022. Ordinance 0-4786. Find the hyperlink below:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.codepublishing.com/WA/Kirkland/ords/Ord4786.pdf
Kirkland has a 40% canopy.
Several items stood out:
Their ordinance is comprehensive. It has 18 definitions. Landmarks are a minimum 26 inch DBH. I strongly believe this is good practice, having removed a 27 inch "significant" from my yard. The value of my 27 inch tree to the environment is equal to that of a Landmark.
Three replacements ("mitigation plantings") are required per Landmark; one replacement per significant tree. If the Applicant chooses not to plant them there's a $450 fee-in-lieu for each planting. The funds pay for canopy restoration. The "plant or pay" option gives choice, providing greater emphasis on planting.
Kirkland sends out an inspector 12 months after the permit to be sure the Applicant installed their tree plantings. Director Helland recently told Council she could provide 2-4 workers (not arborists, but trained) to "inspect." Leave the enforcement to Carl McCarthy, our Code Enforcement Officer. I think he spends most of his time enforcing code on developers anyway.
The Applicant commits to a five-year maintenance plan.
Rosemarie Ives says on June 6th ..... Dear Council members:
ReplyDeleteOn Tuesday evening, part of your study session is devoted to Tree Regulations. I am unsure how you will choose to proceed when there is a 17 page “executive summary” but there are another 334 plus pages of supporting information. In reviewing the agenda documents, I find the council random questions matrix to be a distraction where staff’s comments/answers can too easily become the focus of any deliberation or discussion. I suggest that going page by page of the 17 page document would be easier for both the council and especially the public to follow assuring that most items will not be overlooked.
I found the 334 page document attached to the Planning Commission recommendations. It includes the planning commission question/answer matrix, the Technical Committee report that is over 100 pages and most importantly written testimony from members of the public. The testimony is quite extensive and all should be read by the council.
Had hoped to be forwarding a page by page commentary on the 17 page document before your Tuesday night session. But not knowing how the council is going to proceed really makes it difficult for the public to provide meaningful and timely input. Perhaps you can decide that Tuesday so that the public can be better prepared to provide input for your next study session on this very important issue.
This communication is a list of random related questions/issues/requests/declarations for information that are very relevant to Redmond’s tree regulations.
Earlier this evening I sent an email with excerpts from a Connecticut paper describing how urban areas in the state contribute to its 60% tree canopy and that it is more important to preserve trees, especially significant and landmark trees, in urban areas which is in contrast to what Redmond has been doing allowing exception after exception to the city’s stated policies on tree preservation over the past 15 years. Preservation of trees in urban centers is more important than ever now because there are more people in a smaller geographic area where air pollution is greater, global heat is higher, and water pollution is higher.
Does the city have an inventory of landmark trees and stands of significant trees? Is there a city database of existing trees, tree removal and replacement? Can staff describe the city’s monitoring effort? How many tree removal permits have been issued in the last 15 years? How many issued to individuals? How many issued to developers?
Replanting can not bring full replacement for 50 years. Often a tree’s environmental benefit begins at 50 years of age.
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