MEMORANDUM <br /> June 10, 1993 <br /> TO: Glenn Klein <br /> FROM: Bob Hammitt <br /> SUBJECT: TREE FELLING ORDINANCE /RULES <br /> Maintenance Division has reviewed the June 4th version of the tree cutting <br /> ordinance and rules outline that you sent to us. The general comment that I <br /> have about the document is that it seems like we are doing more than simply <br /> ordinance housekeeping. The proposed revisions appear to warrant a public <br /> hearing. Even if they technically didn't need a public hearing the high <br /> emotional level attached to this issue would surely cause an outcry if a <br /> hearing was not held. Once we revise this document it seems appropriate at <br /> some point in time that we share it with the Chamber of Commerce and the Home <br /> Builders Association that were so actively involved with the processing of the <br /> Urban Forest Management Plan. If we share it with those groups there is <br /> probably an expectation out of the various environmental groups that they <br /> should also get an opportunity to get to see it. We have already had such <br /> requests from a Martin Street resident who was instrumental in bringing this <br /> issue to Council. Additional comments are as follows: <br /> I. Purpose /Council Policy <br /> The one sentence here of concern is the one that states "Timber harvest - <br /> ing is secondary to preservation of other natural resources and cultural <br /> values ". I think that we would find that there is a significant level <br /> of disagreement on this from a group of citizens. A good example would <br /> be Dennis Cassidy who followed the Urban Forest Management Plan process <br /> so closely. <br /> III. Tree Felling Prohibition <br /> A. Need to change a single calendar year to twelve consecutive months. <br /> This is the issue where somebody under the existing ordinance can take <br /> five trees out the last week of December and five more out the first <br /> week in January without a permit. <br /> IV. Tree Felling Permits <br /> A. Should probably be changed to read City Manager or designee. <br /> B. The policy decision we need to make is whether not fees will be <br /> intended for full cost recovery. If this is the case, we will probably <br /> need a two tier fee system. One fee would be for simple permits that <br /> only require a single site visit. A different fee would be to address <br /> complex permits that will require mailings and extensive processing <br /> under the administrative order. <br />