P & Z 01/10/2018 Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Planning & Zoning Commission/ Local Planning Agency January 10, 2018 Page 6 Tree Bank Fund is not intended to help residents meet tree requirements on their property. In response to the Commission's question, Mr. Fathelbab said that the current Code requires trees on residential properties. He said the proposed Code changes are not changing the tree requirements. He said the problem is that the City does not have a way to monitor tree removal in neighborhoods that do not have landscape plans. Mr. Fathelbab said that the Tree Bank alternative allows the Administrative Official to approve a fee in lieu of planting tree replacement requirements. He said the Code currently requires that approval from the Planning and Zoning Commission. He said the City wants to be business friendly and does not want to delay a project waiting for the Planning and Zoning Commission to review the request. In response to the Commission's concern regarding tree replacement requirements for replacing a large tree, Mr. Fathelbab said the site would need to meet the minimum number of trees required and no additional mitigation would be required. In response to the Commission's question, Mr. Fathelbab said the Code does provide some flexibility if an arborist determined a tree was damaged, diseased, the structural integrity is gone or it is a hazard, mitigation would not be required. In response to the Commission's question, Mr. Fathelbab stated that non-native evasive and native trees under 6 -inch caliper do not require mitigation. A general discussion ensued regarding the planting of trees on private property, the City Tree Advisory Committee (CTAC) and planting trees around lakes. Mr. Fathelbab said staff requests the Planning and Zoning Commission recommend approval of LPA 17-09 and hereby amend Article XIV, Tree Protection of the City of Casselberry Code of Ordinances, Part III, Unified Land Development Regulations. Mr. Henson asked if there was anyone in the audience who wished to speak in favor of, or in opposition to, the request. Mr. Steve Ethridge, 860 North Triplet Lake Drive, Casselberry, Florida came forward. Mr. Ethridge expressed concerns with the delay in removing a threatening tree due to the additional permitting requirement and the cost of the permit.