A. 
A Tree Preservation Plan is required on all plats, commercial sites, and certified survey maps (CSMs) over 1.5 acres in size.
B. 
If approved by the Planning Department, the following are allowed exemptions to tree protection and restoration requirements:
1. 
Trees specifically managed for harvest, planted in rows.
2. 
Tree removal related to City public improvements projects or repairs.
3. 
Emergency removal of a tree or trees to protect public health.
C. 
When a Tree Preservation Plan is required, all trees meeting the following requirements shall be inventoried and considered specimen trees:
1. 
All deciduous trees measuring a minimum of 12 inches at tree diameter-at-breast-height.
2. 
All coniferous trees measuring a minimum of eight inches at tree diameter-at-breast-height.
A. 
A Tree Preservation Plan shall be prepared and submitted concurrently with land use and subdivision applications for the project. The Tree Preservation Plan must be approved by City planning staff prior to grading or construction commencing. The Tree Preservation Plan shall include the following items:
1. 
The name(s) and address(es) of property owners and developers.
2. 
Delineation of the buildings, structures, or impervious surfaces situated thereon or contemplated to be built thereon.
3. 
Delineation of all areas to be graded and limits of land disturbance.
4. 
Size, species and location of all specimen trees located within the area to be developed. Where conditions warrant generalization of the tree inventory due to density, such as a wooded site, the City will accept a plan where information is collected on randomly selected trees to obtain overall condition, size, and species characteristics of the area.
5. 
Location of all specimen trees on all individual lots.
6. 
Measures to protect specimen trees.
7. 
Identification of all specimen trees proposed on the plan to be removed within the construction area.
8. 
Size, species, and location of all replacement trees to be planted on the property in accordance with the Tree Replacement Requirements.
9. 
Signature of person preparing the plan.
B. 
An on-site tree protection preconstruction review shall be conducted with the erosion control review to evaluate the proposed design of the project and potential tree protection and mitigation efforts.
C. 
All sites shall be staked, as depicted in the approved grading plan, before grading is to commence. Applicable City staff shall inspect the construction site prior to the beginning of the grading. No encroaching, grading, trenching, filling, compaction, or change in soil chemistry shall occur within the fenced areas protecting the root zone of the trees to be saved.
D. 
After grading, construction, and restoration has been completed, a forester, landscape architect, or landscaping firm retained by the developer shall:
1. 
Certify in writing to the City that the Tree Preservation Plan was followed.
2. 
Certify in writing to the City that the tree protection measures were installed.
3. 
Indicate on an updated Tree Preservation Plan (As-Developed) which specimen remain and which have been destroyed or damaged.
4. 
Submit a plan for City Planning Department review and approval identifying where replacement trees, if required, will be integrated into the approved landscape plan, or another plan, as required by the City.
A. 
Measures proposed to protect specimen trees shall include, but are not limited to:
1. 
Installation of snow fencing, silt fence, or polyethylene laminate safety netting placed outside the drip line, or radius determined by the City, of specimen or landmark trees to be preserved.
2. 
Installation of retaining walls or tree wells to preserve trees.
3. 
Placement of utilities in common trenches outside of the drip line of specimen or historic trees or the use of tunneling installation.
4. 
Use of tree root aeration, fertilization, and/or irrigation systems.
5. 
Prevention of changes in soil chemistry due to concrete washout and leakage or spillage of toxic materials such as fuels or paints.
6. 
Therapeutic pruning of diseased tree branches or damaged and exposed root systems.
7. 
Installation of root-severing protection barriers along critical root zones.
8. 
Designation of areas for soil and equipment storage to prevent soil compaction in critical root zones.
A. 
Specimen tree removal shall be in accordance with the City-approved Tree Preservation Plan.
B. 
The Tree Preservation Plan shall remove no more than 80% of the total number of specimen trees on developable area with less than 30% slope which were existing prior to submission of the preliminary plat, commercial sites or CSMs as a result of the following construction activities:
1. 
Site grading;
2. 
Installation of public utilities, including sanitary sewer, storm sewer, water, natural gas, electrical service, and cable TV;
3. 
Construction of public streets;
4. 
Construction/grading of drainageways;
5. 
Filling of any area; and/or
6. 
Any other activity within the construction area.
C. 
The Tree Preservation Plan shall not show clear-cutting of developable areas with a greater than 30% slope. The area may only be selectively cut based on the recommendations of a forester.
D. 
Where practical difficulties or practical hardships result from strict compliance with the provisions of this subsection, City Planning Department may permit the removal of up to an additional 5% of the specimen trees with approval by the Plan Commission.
E. 
Where extraordinary topographic circumstances exist or preferred drainage alternatives, as designed by the developer and approved by the City, warrant the removal of trees above the 20% tree preservation requirement, the Plan Commission may permit the developer to replant trees at a rate of one inch tree diameter at breast height for every four inches removed in order to satisfy the amount reduced. The City reserves the right to require additional preservation based on the unique characteristics of each site.
A. 
Developers will be required to replace all specimen trees that were indicated on the Tree Preservation Plan to be saved, but which were ultimately destroyed or damaged. If a specimen tree dies of natural causes within one year of the completion of grading or land disturbance activity, the developer shall be required to replace with one inch tree diameter at breast height for every four inches removed.
B. 
These replacement trees shall be in addition to any other landscape requirements of the City and meet the following requirements:
1. 
Replacement trees shall be of a species similar to the trees that were lost or removed.
2. 
When 10 or more replacement trees are required, not more than 30% shall be the same species without approval from the Planning Department.
3. 
Replacement trees will be required to be planted within one year after the completion of grading or land disturbance activity.
4. 
Replacement trees shall consist of stock from a state-licensed grower/distributor.
5. 
Replacement trees shall be considered specimen trees in any future Tree Preservation Plan.
6. 
Replacement trees shall be planted on the subject property in appropriate soil types and in a space large enough to accommodate the natural growth of the planted species. If a site cannot accommodate the required replacement trees, those remaining to be planted shall be located on other property owned by the developer within the City or on property owned by the City.
C. 
The developer shall be responsible to restore any replacement tree that is not alive and healthy one year after the date that the last replacement tree has been planted.