O R I G I N A L

A PPR O VEDA STO FO R M

N DL EG A L I TY
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O R DI N A N CEN O
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A N O R DI N A N CE A DDI N G
A R TI CL E
6 TO CHA PTER 7
O F THE O A KL A N D
MUN I CI PA L CO DE PR O VI DI N G
CO MPR EHEN SI VE R EG UL A TI O N SFO R PR ESER VI N G
HER I TA G E TR EES
A N D CHA N G I N G
THE TI TL EO F
CHA PTER
7 TO L A N DA N D R ESO UR CE DEVEL O PMEN T
A N D
CER TI FYI N G CO MPL I A N CE WI TH THE
CA L I FO R N I A EN VI R O N MEN TA L
QUA L I TY
A CT
WHER EA S at the
meeting
ofthePar ks and R ecr eation
A dvisor y
Commission held
on
May
26
1976
it
wasvoted tor ecommend amendment oftheO akland
Municipal
Code
to
pr ovidecompr ehensiver egulations
for the
pr eser vation
of
Her itage
Tr ees a
nd
WHER EA S SA I DR ECO MMEN DA TI O N ofthePar ksand R ecr eation
A dvisor y
Cor r mission
came
r egular ly
on
befor ethe
City
Council and
WHER EA S
pur suant
tothe
pr ovisions
of
the
Califor niaEnvir onmental
Quality
A ct
of
1970
as
amended and
City
Council R esolution
530 54 C
M
S
the
City
Council
her eby
deter mines that this
action is
categor ically
exempt
fr om the
pr ovisioUE
of
the
Califor niaEnvir onmental
Quality
A ct of
1970 on thebasis ofClass 8 in that it
isa
r egulation
intendedtoassur ethe
pr otection
ofthe
envir onment
and
WHER EA S theCouncil findsand deter mines
that the
publicsafety
heelth
convenience comfor t
pr osper ity gener al
welfar e and
public
inter est willbe
fur ther ed
by
the
adoption
oftheamendments r ecommended
by
thePar ksand R ecr e
ation
A dvisor y
Commission and set for th in thisor dinance nowther efor e
TheCouncil ofthe
City
ofO akland does or dain as follows
SECTI O N
1 The
following
A r ticle
isadded
to
Chapter
7
of
theO akland
Municipal
Code
tor ead as follows
A R TI CL E 6
TR EES
7 6
0 1 I N TEN TA N D FI N DI N G S ThisA r ticleisenacted in
r ecognition
ofthe
following
facts
and for the
following
r easons
A
lunong
the
featur es that contr ibutetotheattr activeness and livabili
ty
of
the
City
ofO akland
ar eits tr ees both
indigenous
and intr oduced
gr owing
as
singlespecimens
in
cluster s
or in
woodland
situations
Thesetr eeshave
significant psychological
and
tangible
benefitsfor
both
r esidents ofand
visitor sto
the
City
B Tr ees
contr ibutetothevisual fr amewor kofthe
Cityby
pr oviding
sCele
color silhouetteand
mass
Tr ees
contr ibute to
the
climateofthe
City
by pr oviding
shade moistur eand wind contr ol Tr ees
contr ibutetothe
pr otection
of
other natur al r esour ces
by
pr oviding
er osion contr ol for
the
soil
oxygen
for theair
r eplenishment
of
gr oundwater
and habitat
for wildlife Tr ees
contr ibuteto
the
economy
ofthe
City
by sustaining
pr oper ty
valuesand
r educing
thecost of
dr ainagesystems
for sur face
water Tr ees
pr ovidescr eens
and
buffer s
to
separ ate
land uses landmar ks
ofthe
City
s
histor y
and a
cr iticalelement ofnatur ein themidst of
ur ban settlement
60 0
2412 1 9e1l
1
I
c
I
5
z
J
2
C For
all theser easons
it is
in
theinter est
ofthe
public
health
safety
and welfar eofthe
O akland
community
to
r egulate
ther emoval
oftr ees to
r equir eadequatepr otection
of tr ees
dur ing
constr uction
and
to
pr omote
the
appr eciation
and
under standing
of
tr ees
7 6
0 2
PR O TECTED
TR EES DEFI N ED
A
pr otected
tr eefor
the
pur pose
ofthisA r ticle
is
either
oneof
the
following
1 O n
undeveloped pr oper ty any
tr ee
measur ing
9 dbh or
lar ger
except
Eucalyptus
2 O n
any
pr oper ty
Quer cus
agr ifolia
Califor nia
or
Coast
L iveO ak
neasur ing
4
dbh or
lar ger
7 6 0 3
DEFI N I TI O N S
For
the
pur poses
ofthisA r ticlethe
meaning
and
constr uction
ofwor ds
and
phr ases
her einafter set
for th shall
apply
DBH
Diameter at Br east
Height
tr unkdiameter measur ed at
4y
feet
abovethe
gr ound
For
multistemmed tr ees a
per mit
would be
r equir ed
ifthedineter
of
tr unks combinedwer e
equal
toor
gr eater
than the
minimum size
stipulated
For conveniencein the
field cir cumfer ences ar econsider ed
equivalent
to
diameter
as follows
Diameter
Cir cumfer ence
4
9
12
28
TO PPI N G Elimination
ofthe
upper
25 or mor eofatr ees tr unkor
main
leader
TR EE A
woody per ennial usually
with one
main
tr unk
attaining
a
heigot
of
at least
eight
feet
at
matur ity
TR EE
R EMO VA L Thedestr uction of
any
tr ee
by
cutting
r egr ading
gir dling
inter fer ing
with thewater
supply
or
applying
chemicals
or
distor tion
of
the
tr ee
s visual
pr opor tions
by topping
UN DEVEL O PEDPR O PER TY
A nyone
ofthe
following
1
A
par cel
ofland ofwhich
lessthan 10 iscover ed
by
astr uctur
including
but not limitedto
vacant land cemeter ies
campuses
par ks
and
lar ge
r esidential lots
2
A
par cel
ofland which can befur ther divided
in
accor dance
with the
Zoning R egulations
of
the
O akland
Planning
Code
3 A
par cel
ofland on which thestr uctur esar eabout to
under go
dmnoli
tion or r elocation
7 6 0 4 PER MI T
R EQUI R ED
A
pr otected
tr ee
may
not ber mnoved without atr e
r emoval
per mi
t
7 6 0 5
CR I TER I A
FO R R EVI EW
A
I n
or der to
gr ant
atr ee
r mnoval
per mit
the
City
must deter mine
that
r emoval is
necessar y
in or der to
accomplish
anyone
ofthe
following
objectives
7 6 0 6
with the
j
1 Tol
llSUn the
public
safl
ty
as
it
Tl l1tl s to
the
ht
alth of
the
tn
l
potentI al
hazar d
to
I feor
pr op r ly pr oximity
tol xist
ing
or
pr oposed
str uctur es
I 1H I illll
r
nlHTwith lit I I
i lilSor
sewer s
2 To
allow
r easonable
economic
enjoyment
of
pr oper ty
3
Totake
r easonable
advantage
ofviews
4 10
pur suegood pr ofcssionnl
pr acticps
of
for estr y
or
landscape
oeH igll
B
A
finding
of
anyone
ofthe
following
situations
is
gr ounds
for
denial
r egar dless
of
the
findings
in
SECTI O N 7 6 0 5 A
1 R emoval of
a
healthy
tnl
of
allL sir ilbll
sPl
clt s
could
bl
avoldl
d
by
8
r easonable
r edesign
ofthesite
plan pr ior
toconstr uctiDn
b
tr imming thinning
I ltr cl
sur ger y
or other r eafionablc
tr eatment
2
A dequatepr ovisions
for
dr ainage
er osion
contr ol land
stabiiity
or
windscr een haVl
not been made I n
situations
wher e
Hucll
pr ol11ems
ar e
anticipated
as ar esult ofther emoval
3
The tr eetober emoved
is amember of
a
gr oup
of
tr ees
in
which
each
tr ee
is
dependent upon
theother s for
sur vival
4 The
valueofthe
tr ee
to
the
neighbor hood
is
gr eater
than
its
inconveniencetotheownpr
CO N DI TI O N S
O FA PPR O VA L
following
conditions of
A
tr eer emoval
appr oval
pemit
shall beissued in
conjunction
A dequate
pr otection
shall
be
pr ovidt
d
dur ing
theconstr tlctlon
pt
r iod
for
any
tr ees
which
ar e
tor emain
standing
Measur es deemed
necessar y
by
the
tr ee
r eviewer in
consider ation
ofthesize
species
condition
and location ofthetr cesto r main
may
include
any
of
the
followI ng
1 Blfor e
lhl slilr luf
I I lY clear ing
l XC I V llioll
comtr uctloll
or
other
wor k on
the
site
ever y
s
igni
flean
t
tr eedeemed to
1
l
I Hlangcn
d
hy
said
sI tewor k slwll
bl
sl
cur cly
fpllcl
d off
at
lhe
pr olect
d
pl
r imcter
which shull bl eilhl
r till
oullr
limits
of
thebr anches ofsuch tr L l till
dr ip
lint ur
such
gn
lter 1
imits
ilS
llI ay
hel
St
lbl ishl
d
hy
thl
O r r lcl
of
Plr k
and
I
eer l
ltion Such fL lleeSshall r L mlin in
pL I CL
for the
dur ation
of
all
sllch
wor k A ll tr l Stohe
r lmovlu shall
he
ch
ar ly
mar ked A schemeshall
I H
l stahl
ishL
d for
till nlI I oval
lI lt
dispos
lI of
logs
hr ush
lr ll1 lI ltl othlr
d
hr ls
which
will
avoid
injur y
L o
any
significant
tnp
2
WJpn
pr oposl
d
developm
lll
or otlll
r
it wor k is to
I l r owh
upon
the
pn1tected per imptl
r of
lI lY
significant
tr c
sp
cial
I l
sur
s h111 be
incor por atpd
to
11 low
th
foots
to
hr
ltlil
lilt
obtain watpr ant llulr ienls
A ny
xcavalioll
cutting
filling
or
compacl lon
ofthe
existing gr oundsur facp
within
the
pr otectedper imeter
shall be
minimizL u N o
ehangt
in
existing
gr ound
level
sh
1l1 occur within
four fect ofthe
basL of
lilY
lil
r iL lg
I n
ilt
I I lY
tillll N o
hur ning
or usof
equipment
with an
open
flame
shall occur near
or
within
the
pr otl
cted
pl
r imt
Ur
3 N o
stor age
or
dumping
of
oil
gas
c111
llI icalB
or
other
suhstances
that
may
be
har mful
to
tr ees
shall
occur within the
pr otected
per imeter
of
any significant
tr ee or
at
my
other location on the
sill
fr om
whieli
sllch
suhstilllCl
S
might
l
nt
r
lh pr ot
cu
d
per I
meter
N o
heavy
constr uction
equipment
or constr uction
matcr ials
4
shall be
oper ated
or stor edwithin
the
pr otected
per imeter
nr L
shall not
beattachedto
any pr otected
tr ee
except
as needed for
suppor t
of
the
tr ee
N o
sign
other than a
tag showing
thebot
ical classification
shall beattachedto
any pr otected
tr ee
4
Per iodically
dur ing
constr uction
theleaves of
pr otected
tr ees
shallbe
thor oughly
spr ayed
with
water to
pr event
buildup
ofdust
and other
pollution
that would inhibit leaf
tr anspir ation
5 I f
any
damage
toa
pr otected
tr eeshould
occur dur ing
or as a
r esult
of
wor k
on
thesite the
contr actor builder or
owner shall
pr omptlv
notify
the
O fficeofPar ksand R ecr eatiou
ofsuch
damage
I f
such
tr ee
cannot
be
pr eser ved
in a
healthy
state theO ffice
ofPar ks
and R ecr eation
shall
r equir er eplacement
of
any
tr eer emoved with
another tr ee
or tr eeson thesame site
deemed
adequate
to
compensate
for the
loss ofthetr eethat isr emoved
7
0
0 7 PR O CEDUR E
A can
t
I n
any
situation which
r equir es
r emoval ofor
possible
damage
toapr otected
tr ee
or
tr ees
including
application
for
building gr ading
or
demolition
per mit
atr ee
r emoval
per mit
application
mUl1t be
fHell
The
applicant
shall
pr ovide
a
plan
indicating
the
location sizeand
species
of
any
tr ee
or tr eeswhich
may
be
r emoved or
adver sely
affected
The
applicant
shallbeissued
asufficient number
oftr ee
tags
one
of
which is tobe
posted
on each
tr ee
pr oposed
for
r emoval and a
summar y
notice
to
be
posted
on the
utilitypole
near est tothe
fr ontof
thelot
The
applicant
shall
place
the
tags
on the
tr eesand
post
the
summar y
notice
within two
days
after making
an
application
for atr ee
r emoval
per mit
The
tags
and
noticeshall not be
r emoved for ten
wor king days
ther eafter
Following
issuanceofthetr ee
r emoval
per mit
the
applicant
shall
post
a
copy
ther eof
in
plain
view
on thesite
while
tr ee
r emoval
wor k
is
under way
The
applicant
shall
pay
thefee
established
by
the
Master
Fee
Schedule
ofthe
City
for
tr ee
r emoval
per mit
r eview
I n
theevent
that the
applicant
appeals
a
per mit
denial to
thePar ks
and R ecr eation
A dvisor y
Commission
and or tothe
City
CO llncil the
applicant
shall
pay
the
appeal
feeestablished
by
the
Master Fee Sclledule
B
O ffice
ofPublic Wor ks
The
O fficeof
PublicWor ks shall be
r esponsible
for
r eceiving appllcations
for
Tr eeR emoval
Per mits for
confir ming
that
the
r equir ed
infor mation
has been
pr ovidedby
the
applicant
and for
issuin tr ee
tags
and
summar y
notices
tothe
applicant
The
O fficeof
PublicWor ks shall immediately
r outeall
Tr eeR emoval
Per mit
applications
totheO fficeofPar ks
and R ecr eation for
consider ation
I fan
application
for tr eer emoval
is
appr ovc
l bv
theO fficeof
Par ks and
R ecr eation a
per mit
shall be
issued
tl L he
applicant
by
theO ffice
of
Public
Wor ktiin
conjunction
with
any
other
per mit
r c1aleJ
t othe vor k
I n
question
however if
any
of
the
r elated
per mits
ar cdenied
the
tr ee
r emoval
per mit
shall bewithheld
I fthe
application
or
a
tr ee
r emoval
per ll
it
i
denied
it shall
he
r etur ned
to
the
applicant by
theO ffleeofPublic Wor ks
Hith an indication
of
the
causefor
denial
pr ovided
by
the
O ffice
ofPar ksand R ecr eation
C
O fficeof
Par ksand R ecr eation
The
O ffice
ofPar ks
and R ecr eation shall
r eview
tr eer emoval
per mit applications
They
shall be
r esponsible
for
making
thenecessar y findings
for
appr oval
or denial and
attaching
the
condi
t1
ons
f
appr oval
5
Site
inspection
shall bemade
by
the
O fficeofPar ks
and R ecr eation two
toseven
wor king
days
after the
application
isfiled
A ction shall be
taken
on the
application by
the
O fficeofPar ks and
R ecr eation within ten
wor king days
ofthe
filing
date
A ny telephone
calls or
wr itten comments
r eceived
r egar ding
the
application
shall beconsider ed in the
pr epar ation
ofthe
findings
Depar tment
of
City
Planning A pplications
for tr eer emoval
per mits
shall
ber efer r ed
to
the
Depar tment
of
City Planning
when it
appear s
tothe
O fficeofPar ks and
R ecr eation staffthat
ar evision ofthe
pr oposed
site
plan
or str uctur al
design
could
r esult
in
the
pr eser vation
ofoneor mor e
tr ees The
Depar tment
of
City
Planning
shall
confer with the
applicant
in
an
effor t
toachieve
a
design
which willaccommodatethe
jeopar dized
tr eeor tr ees The
CityPlanning Depar tment
willthen for war d
itsr ecom
mendation
totheO fficeofPar ks and
R ecr eation for their consider ation
whithn
thr ee
wor king days
or
within
such timeas
mutuallyagr eed upon by
the
applicant
and O fficeofPar ks
and R ecr eation
A pplications
shall alsober efer r ed tothe
Depar tment
of
CityPlanning
ifthe
O fficeofPar ksand R ecr eation feelsthat
the
subject
tr eeor tr ees
may
constitute
a
significant
element oftheover all
neighbor hood design
The
Depar tment
of
CityPlanning
willmakear ecommendation tothe
O ffice
of
Par ks and R ecr eation
within thr ee
days
When an
application
for aPlannedUnit
Development
is
filed
the
City
Planning Depar tment
shall
r efer the
application
totheO fficeofPar ks
and R ecr eation
for
pr eliminar y
tr eer eview The O ffice
of
Par ks
and
R ecr eation willmakear ecommendation
tothe
Planning Depar tment r egar ding
tr ees in
the
pr oposed
PlannedUnit
Development
within ten
wor king
days
7
6 0 8 A PPEA L
O F
DEN I ED
PER MI T
A PPL I CA TI O N S Theowner ofa
given
tr ee
may
appeal
thedenial of
a
tr ee
r emoval
per mit
made
by
theO ffice
of
Par ksand
R ecr eation
to
the
City
Council
The
appeal
shall befiledwithin
ten
days
after thedateof
a
decision
by
theO ffice
ofPar ks and R ecr eation and
shall bemadeon afor m
pr escr ibed by
and filedwith
the
City
Cler k The
appeal
shall
state
specifically
wher ein it isclaimed ther ewas
an
er r or
or abuseofdiscr etion
by
the
Dir ector ofPar ks and R ecr eation
or
wher ein
hisdecision
isnot
suppor ted by
theevidencein
ther ecor d
Upon
r eceipt
ofsuch
appeal
theCouncil
shall set
the
timefor consider ation
ther eof
The
City
Cler k
shall
notify
theO fficeofPar ksand
R ecr eation ofthe
r eceipt
of
said
appeal
and
ofthetimeset for consider ation
ther eof
The
City
Cler kshall
not less
than five
days
pr ior
tothedate
set
for
the
hear ing
on the
appeal
give
wr itten
noticetothe
appellant
and
any
known adver se
par ties
or their
r epr
esentatives
of
the
time
and
place
ofthe
hear ing
I n
consider ing
the
appeal
theCouncil shall deter minewhether the
pr oposed
r emoval
confor ms tothe
applicable
cr iter ia I t
may
sustain thedecision oftheO ffice
of
Par ksand
R ecr eation or
gr ant
the
per mit
and
r equir e
such
changes
or
impose
such
r easonableconditions
of
appr oval
as
ar e
in
its
judgement necessar y
toensur
e
confor mity
to
saidcr iter ia The decision of
theCouncil shall be
final
The
applicant
shall
pay
the
feeestablished
by
theMaster
Fee
Scheduleofth e
City
for
tr eer emoval
per mit
appeal
6
7 6
0 9 EMER G EN CY SI TUA TI O N S I n case
ofan
emer gency
in
which
a
pr otected
tr eeis
in
so
danger ous
acondition as
to
pose
an immediate
thr eat to
safety
or
pr oper ty
theDir ector of
Par ks and
R ecr eation or he
Dir ector
of
PublicWor ks
or their
r espective
designees
shall be
empower ed
to
waivethe
r equir ement
for
atr ee
r emoval
per mit
Super visor y
per sonnel
for East
Bay Municipal
Utility
Distr ict
PacI ficTele
phone
and
Telegr aph
Company Pacific
G as and
Electr ic
Company
and
A lameda
County
Flood
Contr ol
and Water
Conser vation Distr ict
shall alsobe
author izedtoconduct
emer gency
tr eer emoval
without a
per ndt
The r emoval ofa
pr otected
tr eeunder
emer gency
conditions
shall be
r epor ted
to
the
O ffice
of
Par ks
and R ecr eat
ion
on the
fir st business
day following theemer
ency
tr ee
r emoval
7 6 10 PUBL I C
A G EN CY EXEMPTI O N S
A
City
of
O akland I n r outine
situations
which would
nor mally
be
handled
by
tr ee
per sonnel
including
but
not limitedto
maintenance
or r emoval
of
str eet
tr ees or other
tr ees
in the
public
r ight
of
way
atr ee
r emoval
pelmit
shall
not
be
r equir ed
I n
pr ojects
involving
major
constr uction
including
hut not
limited
to
str eet
widening
par k
development
or
constr uction
of
other
publicfaci
i
ties
which donot
fall
dir ectly
under the
super vision
ofstaffofthe
O fficeof
Par ks
and
R ecr eation
atr eer emoval
per mit
shall be
r equi
r er l
B O ther
Public
A gencies
A tr eer emoval
per mit
shall be
r equir ed
fnr
r emoval of
pr otected
tr ees as definedin
thisA r ticle unless
thepgencv
has
pr eviously
and
continuously
demonstr ated
that it has
adopted
a
vegetativemanagement
pr ogr am
that
is consistent with the
City
s L r ce
policies
as enuniciatedin
thisCode and theO akland
Compr ehensive
Plan
The Par ks
and R ecr eation Commission
shall
r eviewthe
vegetation manage
ment
plans
annually
or
upon any major
r evisions toascer tain
exemr ti
1J1 sL lt I
I n
accor dancewith theCalifor nia
PublicUtilitiesCode
R ule35
of
G ener al O r der 95
r easonableclear ance
of
br anches
foliage
or
tr ees
on PacificG as and
Electr ic
pr oper ty
toallowthe
safe and
r liah1
O r wr
lli
of
utilitiesshall
be
exempt
fr om
per mit
r equir ements
7 6
11
EN FO R CEMEN T
A N D PEN A L TI ES
1
Except
in
compliance
with
theter ms of
thisA r ticle no
per son
shnL l
r emove
damage
or
endanger
any
pr otected
tr ee
in the
City
0 fO akL lnd
2
A ny per son
violating any
ofthe
pr ovisions
oftheA r ticleshall be delPlld
guilty
ofa
misdemeanor
3 Par k
R anger s
of
the
City
ofO akland
ar eauthor izedtoenfor cethe
I
r O
i i
of
thisA r ticle
and
pur suant
tothe
pr ovisions
ofSection 836
5
0 r t I i
Califor niaPenal Code
ar e fur ther author ized
toar r est without n Hlr r ClJ1 t
any per son
violating
said
A r ticle
4 I n addition
aviolator shall
be
r equir ed
to
pr ovide
r eplacement
tr ee s
and
or fees
but
not toexceed
thevalueof
thetr eeor
tr ees
illegally
r emoved or
damaged
as
evaluated
by
the
for mula
developedby
the
I nter national Shade Tr ee
Confer ence
I ncor por ated
7
0 12
L I A BI L I TI ES
A
The
issuance
and
exer ciseofa
penuit pur suant
to
thisA r ticle
shall not
bedeemed
to
establish
any public
useor access not
alr eady
in
existence
with
r egar d
to
the
pr oper ty
to
which the
penuit
is
applicable
B The
issuance
ofa
per mit
pur suant
to
thisA r ticleshallnot
cr eate
any
liability
ofthe
City
with
r egar d
tothe
wor k tobe
per for med
and
the
applicant
for such
per mit
shall
agr ee
to
hold hanuless the
City
and
its
officer sand
employees
fr om
any damage
or
injur y
that
may
occur
in
connection with or
r esulting
fr om such wor k
SECTI O N
2
The titleof
Chapter
7 is
her eby changed
tor ead
as
follows
CI
PTER 7
L A N DA N D R ESO UR CE
DEVEL O PEMEN T
SECTI O N
3
The
City
Cler k
is
her eby
dir ectedtofile
a
N oticeof
Exemption
with the
County
Cler kofA lameda
County
I N
CO UN CI L O A KL A N D
CA L I F
SEP
7
1976
19
PA SSEDBY
THE FO L L O WI N G
VO TE
cor a
A YES
CI BA L VO
EN G MA G G I O R A
O G A WA
R O SE
SUTTER
VUKA SI N
A N D
fR I MBBr JT
R I 5I 1tG
N O ES R EA DI N G
I
A BSEN T N O N E
60 0
242 771