1. Healthy trees over twenty-four inches in diameter at d.b.h. or that are over one hundred years of age shall be priority trees for preservation. Priority trees should only be removed if their retention is not feasible (e.g., within footprint of likely future building area and not reasonable to modify building size or footprint);

2. Retained trees shall be predominantly dominant or codominant trees (meaning fully branched and generally proportional in height and breadth for the tree age);

3. Retained trees must be healthy and have no substantial evidence of disease (unless identified as a habitat tree per subsection 8 below), meaning that retained trees shall have a relatively sound and solid trunk with no extensive decay or hollow and no significant trunk damage, and should have no significant crown damage;

4. Trees should be selected for retention based upon a consideration of windthrow potential, wildlife value, aesthetics, and integration into other existing vegetation in the surrounding community compatible with future development;

5. Retained trees should be clustered wherever possible to maximize habitat value and to minimize windthrow. Strips of trees along a site’s perimeter boundaries should be carefully evaluated for windthrow potential by an ISA certified arborist;

6. Trees being retained in environmentally sensitive areas and associated buffers may be applied to tree unit credit requirements;

7. Trees must be windfirm upon completion of development activities (no significant root damage);

8. Trees identified as having significant wildlife value shall be priority trees for preservation regardless of the health or state of the tree (such as trees with broken crowns ideal for eagle perching or snags, especially along shoreline bluffs), so long as such trees are not a danger to nearby buildings as determined by the planning director.

1. Each tree shall be healthy stock and carefully planted in a three-foot or larger hole in good, appropriately fertilized topsoil;

2. Each required deciduous tree shall have a minimum of two-inch caliper within six inches of ground at time of planting;

3. Each required evergreen tree shall have a minimum height of eight feet at time of planting;

4. Trees planted shall include a mix of coniferous and deciduous trees. At a minimum, thirty percent of the trees planted shall be coniferous;

5. To avoid potentially unhealthy monocultures, the total number of any individual species of replacement tree planted shall not exceed thirty percent of the same species or thirty-five percent of the same genus of the total number of all replacement trees planted.

6. Where possible, required trees should predominantly be selected from the native tree species. The city planning department will maintain a list of native tree species. (Ord. 2756 Att. F, 2006)