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1 <br /> <br /> <br /> STAFF REPORT <br /> DATE: 12-3-2024 <br /> Regular <br /> Motion <br />TO: City Council <br />FROM: HKGi Staff & Ashley Monterusso, City Planner <br />PRESENTED BY: HKGi Staff <br />AGENDA ITEM: Zoning Text Amendments - Landscaping <br />REVIEWED BY: Sophia Jensen, Senior City Planner <br /> Jason Stopa, Community Development Director <br /> <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: <br />The City has initiated a zoning text amendment to Article VIII Environmental Performance <br />Standards to correct dated language, update standards, and clarify planting/plan standards. <br /> <br />ISSUE BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL: <br />The City Council is being asked to make a determination on the proposed amendments. <br /> <br />PROPOSAL DETAILS: <br />Sections under review: <br />• 105.12.470 – Tree Preservation <br />• 105.12.480 – Landscape Requirements <br /> <br />ANALYSIS OF PROPOSALS: <br />Proposed language is underlined. Deleted language is shown with a strikethrough. <br /> <br /> <br />105.12.470 – Tree Preservation <br />Proposed Language: <br />a) Purpose. Within the City of Lake Elmo, trees and woodlands are considered a valuable asset to the <br />community. The City places a priority on protecting this asset and finds that it is in the best interest to <br />regulate the development and alteration of wooded areas within the community. All applicants shall comply <br />with all the provisions in the Zoning Code which address the preservation of existing significant trees, <br />including this section. All applicants shall demonstrate a good faith effort to maximize tree preservation <br />during the development review phase and shall avoid a mass-grading approach to site development where <br />possible. Applicants are encouraged to preserve all healthy trees of significant value even if the trees do not <br />meet the size requirements to be considered significant trees. <br />b) Definitions. The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this section, shall have the meanings <br />ascribed to them in this subsection, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning: <br /> <br />Applicant means any person or entity submitting an application to the City for approval of a land use permit <br />including preliminary plat, final plat, conditional use permit, interim use permit, planned unit development, <br />variance or grading permit. <br /> <br />Common tree means and includes Ash, Aspen, Basswood, Catalpa, Elm, Hackberry, Locust, Poplar, Silver <br />Maple, Willow and any other tree not defined as a hardwood deciduous tree or a coniferous/evergreen tree.