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Mounds View Planning Commission March 7, 2007 Regular Meeting Page 8 ________________________________________________________________________ Planning Associate Heller reported City Council had been talking about a tree preservation ordinance for several years. She stated she, Director Ericson, and Rick Wriskey, the City Forester, have been working on this for quite a while. She indicated they have talked to the City Council and received good suggestions. She stated they would also go to the Parks and Recreation Commission with the ordinance for their feedback. Planning Associate Heller stated the main goals of the ordinance is to encourage tree preservation, save larger existing trees, gain replacement trees when trees are removed, specify landscaping requirements for new development, and incorporate maintenance standards for landscaping such as removal of broken, fallen, or disease branches, trees, and stumps. She stated that the City realizes it is not reasonable to keep trees or wooded areas in some cases, but would like to be able to have some trees preserved and/or replaced. She explained there are exceptions to the replacement requirements, such as disease, storms, or other acts of nature, or trees lost as a result of utility trimming or maintenance. Planning Associate Heller explained the ordinance would not necessarily require a property owner to replace every tree taken down. She stated the ordinance puts a cap on the maximum number of replacement trees that would be required, depending on the size of the property and the amount of remaining trees. Planning Associate Heller asked the Planning Commission to review and discuss the planned ordinance. Chair Stevenson pointed out a lot of work had been put into this and this is needed. Commissioner Gunn asked about comments on page two stating property owners could be fined. She asked how a tree could be illegally removed if it is on their property. Planning Associate Heller replied it would be based on what might be done beyond what the ordinance states is allowable to remove. Commissioner Cramblit asked if the tree replacement would be on personal property or could they plant on a specified city property. Planning Associate Heller replied this was still up for discussion. She stated Staff is working on the idea on how the replacement trees would be implemented. She reported the City Forester would be involved with this. Commissioner Walsh-Kaczmarek applauded the effort for a tree ordinance. Her stated her concerns are about the resources needed to monitor residential tree maintenance or preservation and secondly she would not want the homeowners to get into a hardship condition. She stated as an example, tree damage due to disease or a storm; replacing trees could become quite expensive for homeowners. She stated she did not want to get into a situation where enforcement becomes overwhelming.