20.770.070 Tree, Vegetation, and Soil Plan Review Standards.
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A. Alternative compliance. All tree removal permit activities regulated by this chapter shall be performed in compliance with the applicable standards contained in this chapter, unless the applicant demonstrates that alternate measures or procedures will be equal or superior to the provisions of this chapter in accomplishing the purposes of this chapter. Such alternative measures and procedures shall be accepted and approved by the planning official.
B. Design standards. For all development projects, the following design standards and provisions shall apply.
1. When there are feasible and prudent location alternatives on site for proposed building structures or other site improvements, existing native vegetation and trees are to be preserved, even if the minimum tree density is exceeded. This may require site redesign including, but not limited to: redesign of streets, sidewalks, stormwater facilities, utilities; changing the shape and size of the parking lot; reducing or limiting proposed site grading; and changing the locations of buildings or building lots. Provided, where necessary, density transfer areas per VMC 20.940 may be used to ensure protection and retention of trees.
2. If existing trees and vegetation meet the requirements for the required landscaping, they shall have priority over and may substitute for the required landscaping pursuant to the guidelines established Chapter 20.925 Landscaping.
3. In designing a development project and in meeting the required minimum tree density, the applicant shall prepare the required tree, vegetation, and soil plan in the following order of tree preservation priority. Trees and native vegetation to be preserved must be healthy, wind-firm, and appropriate to the site at their mature size, as identified by a qualified professional.
a. Heritage trees.
b. Specimen trees.
c. Sensitive areas. Trees located within or adjacent to sensitive areas.
d. Individual trees and/or tree groves which are set aside within density transfer areas and/or tree tracts to be established.
e. Floodplains and wellhead protection areas.
f. Other individual trees or groves of trees.
4. On sites where there are currently inadequate numbers of existing trees, or where the trees are inappropriate for preservation, as determined by the planning official, then replacement tree planting shall be required. In designing a development project and in meeting the required minimum tree density the following trees shall be planted in the following order of priority:
a. Trees planted within or adjacent to designated sensitive areas.
b. Trees planted adjacent to stormwater retention/detention ponds.
c. Trees planted within or adjacent to floodplains and wellhead protection areas.
d. Entrance landscaping, traffic islands, separate deeded tree tracts, and other common areas in residential subdivisions.
e. Trees planted on individual residential building lots.
f. For commercial, industrial and multi-family projects, up to 50% of the street trees can be credited toward the replacement requirement.
C. Undeveloped properties, conversion option harvest. For properties proposing a conversion option harvest, the following standards shall apply:
1. Trees to remain should be dominant or co-dominant in the stand, healthy and wind-firm.
2. Trees to remain should be located on the site in areas that would most likely facilitate their preservation through the build-out of the site.
3. Up to 30% of the number or volume of trees, by species, can be removed every 10 years.
4. No removal of trees from designated sensitive areas, unless otherwise outlined by this title.
5. No removal of designated heritage trees.
6. No removal of trees that would cause trees on adjacent properties to become hazardous.
7. Logging operations shall be conducted so as to expose the smallest practical area of soil to erosion for the least possible time. To control erosion, shrubs, ground cover and stumps shall be retained where feasible. Where not feasible, appropriate erosion control practices shall be implemented pursuant to Chapter 20.720 VMC, Erosion Control.
8. Slash abatement practices shall be implemented pursuant to Vancouver Fire Department standards.
D. Nuisance tree criteria. A nuisance tree must meet the following criteria:
1. Tree is causing obvious, physical damage to private or public property, including but not limited to: sidewalk, curb, road, parking lot, building foundation, roof;
2. Tree has been damaged by past maintenance practices, that cannot be corrected with proper arboricultural practices; or
3. The problems associated with the tree must be such that they cannot be corrected by any other reasonable practice. Including but not limited to the following:
a. Pruning of the crown or roots of the tree and/or, structural changes to a building, parking lot, sidewalk or other site modifications to alleviate the problem.
b. Pruning, bracing, cabling, to reconstruct a healthy crown.
E. Hazard tree criteria. A hazard tree must meet the following criteria:
1. The tree must have a combination of structural defects and/or disease which makes it subject to a high probability of failure and is in proximity to moderate-high frequency of persons or property; and
2. The hazard condition of the tree cannot be lessened with reasonable and proper arboricultural practices nor can the target be removed. (Ord. M-4179 § 83, 10/17/2016; Ord. M-3643, 01/26/2004)