Your Community Tree Preservation City of Austin Joint Sustainability Division January 22, 2020 Keith Mars, AICP,CA City of Austin, Texas Overview • The Community Tree Preservation Division • Tree preservation policy objectives and outcomes • Code and process • Due diligence • Proposed Code Rewrite Chapter 1 The Community Tree Preservation Division: Urban Forest Program (A Healthy Urban Forest for All) Click here to see all the great work Chapter 2 The Community Tree Preservation Division: City Arborist Program (Nationally recognized tree preservation ordinances) Tree Ordinances in Austin • First adopted in 1983 • Public health, safety, and welfare (Home Rule & Discretionary) • Preserve first then replenish • Alignment with council strategic outcomes Preserve the character of Austin’s urban forest, protect its current health, and increase it’s longevity The Value of Trees in the Urban Environment • Trees are foundational to multiple public policy objects • Trees are a $16 billion asset • Trees reduce energy cost by ~$20M/year • Trees reduce speed and shade pedestrians Our Community Values Trees • Home Rule—Tree protection is an expression of our values • Continued public support for trees and tree preservation is crucial to the future of our urban forest Efficacy of Heritage Tree Ordinance - Ordinance adopted in February 2010 - 14 Commission variances - Over 5,000 reviews by City Arborist staff - More than 70,000 inches of Heritage Trees reviewed - 95% preservation rate. National model. Chapter 2 Administering the Tree Ordinances (Process matters) The Larger the Tree, the Greater the Protection Review Criteria for Protected and Heritage Trees Code Criteria for Rules for Protecting Removal Trees 1. Prevents a reasonable use 2. Prevents reasonable access 3. Dead, diseased, or imminent hazard Due Process for Administering Heritage Tree Ordinance Chapter 3 Due Diligence for Reasonable Use (Reveal the real and perceived constraints, protect more trees) • Parking standards. • Know your Fire Code! It has a big impact on land use and trees. • Know your driveway alignment options. Transportation SETBACKS - 15' ALLOWS FOR 45-75%GLAZING 15' 15' Site Diagram Thornton 2 Office Building REQUIRED FIRE ACCESS 43' FROM SOUTH PROP. LINE ALLOWS FOR PERIMETER PARKING Site Diagram Thornton 2 Office Building 5' SIDEWALK 5' SIDEWALK 25' 18' RESIDENTAL COMPATIBILITY SETBACK 300' from Property line 200' from Property line 100' from Property line Site Diagram Thornton 2 Office Building TREE PRESERVATION COUNCIL HERITAGE TREE OFFSET TOP FLOOR 5' SHIFTED …
Item 1 JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING MEETING MINUTES January 22, 2020 The Joint Sustainability Committee convened in a regular meeting on January 22, 2020 at City Hall in Austin, Texas. Chair Kaiba White called the Board Meeting to order at 6:07 pm. Board Members in Attendance: Kaiba White Chair, Katie Coyne Vice-Chair, David Carroll, Fisayo Fadelu, Karen Hadden, Melissa Rothrock, Karen Magid, Rob Schneider, Holt Lackey Board Members Absent: Nhat Ho, Alberta Phillips, Kelly Davis City Staff in Attendance: Phoebe Romero, Zach Baumer CALL TO ORDER CALL TO ORDER 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes from the December 18, 2019 Joint Sustainability Committee meeting were approved. Motion to approve (Commissioner Coyne), Second (Commissioner Rothrock)- 7 approved, 0 opposed. 2. CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three- minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. • None 3. NEW BUSINESS a) Urban Forestry Presentation – Keith Mars, Development Services Department (Discussion and/or possible action) – 45 minutes • Reviewed Heritage Tree Ordinance and Code Criteria for Removal which is allowed when tree prevents reasonable use, reasonable access or is dead, diseased or an imminent hazard • Land Development Code Revision • Updated modifications along corridors (in context of housing), street and residential planting requirements and improved language and definitions • Along corridors, heritage trees accommodations may take place if reasonable use guideline is affected • Opportunity to examine how the Climate Plan revision can create an overall tree canopy goal, and incorporate an equity analysis examining areas like the East Side • Discussed survival rate of relocated trees, those in redevelopment zones and opportunity to work with HOAs in policy b) Food Policy Recommendation on Land Development Code Revision (Discussion and/or possible action) – 45 minutes • Recommendation from the Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board concerning Food Policy and the Land Development Code Revision was approved with the following friendly amendments from Commissioner Carroll: • On bullet #1, recommended not tying food equity lens to idea of an equity overlay, so that it’s not dependent on this being done; last two sentences from the first bullet removed. • On bullet #5, recommended removing “siting” and adding “encouraging” and removing “stores”, but keeping food retail. • Record of the vote: Motion to approve Commissioner Hadden, Second Commissioner Lackey - 9 approved, 0 …
