A. 
The following trees, shrubs, plants, and specific areas are considered priority for retention and protection and shall be left in an undisturbed condition unless the applicant has demonstrated, to the satisfaction of the Town of Rock Hall, that reasonable efforts have been made to protect them and the plan cannot be reasonably altered:
(1) 
Trees, shrubs, and plants located in sensitive areas including the nontidal 100-year floodplain, intermittent and perennial stream buffers, slopes of 25% or greater, nontidal wetlands, and critical habitats;
(2) 
Contiguous forest that connects the largest undeveloped or most vegetated tracts of land within and adjacent to the site;
(3) 
Trees, shrubs, plants, determined to be a rare, threatened, and endangered under:
(a) 
The federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 in 16 U.S.C. §§ 1531 through 1544 and in 50 CFR Part 17;
(b) 
The Maryland Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Act, Natural Resources Article, § 10-2A-01 through 10-2A-09, Annotated Code of Maryland; and
(c) 
COMAR 08.03.08;
(4) 
Trees that:
(a) 
Are part of a historic site as designated by the state or Town;
(b) 
Are associated with a historic structure, or as designated by the state or Town;
(c) 
Have been designated by the state or the Town of Rock Hall as a national, state, or county champion tree; and
(5) 
Any tree having a diameter measured at 4.5 feet above the ground of:
(a) 
Thirty inches or more; or
(b) 
Seventy-five percent or more of the diameter, measured at 4.5 feet above the ground, of the current state champion tree of that species as designated by the Department of Natural Resources.