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TreeAction needs your support. We need to show the Council that we have community support for our position on the proposed amendments to the Tree Ordinance. Please take a moment to give us your opinions by taking a quick survey. It will take only a few moments. For more information before you take the survey, please read the info below. Thank you!

Click here to take our survey now.

UPDATE:
Planning Commission to vote June 18*
on Tree Ordinance amendments
* tentative date - to be confirmed
6:30pm - City Council Chambers

Proposed amendments to the Tree Ordinance have already been through the Internal Affairs Committee and Park Commission, and a Planning Commission Workshop. Staff will bring recommendations back to the Planning Commission for a vote before the proposal eventually goes before the Council, probably in August.
 
TreeAction supports most of the proposal, but we still have 3 main concerns. We want your support to:
 
1. Bring all trees of 12" diameter or greater under the Tree Ordinance. The Park Commissioners voted to protect all trees 18" diameter or greater, but the staff is still proposing 24". This would protect only the old trees and not the upcoming "teenage trees" which are the future of the urban forest and which provide the best carbon sequestration. Two Planning Commissioners supported the 12" size at the workshop, so there is still a possibility of getting a 12" recommendation from the Commission, if the public shows enough support.
 
2. Protect beautiful but slow-growing ornamental trees at 6" diameter (dogwood, crape myrtle, crabapple, saucer magnolia, Japanese maple). The Park Commissioners voted to keep the ornamentals in the proposal, but the staff proposed to remove them. This would mean that the beautiful ornamentals that enhance Chico's urban forest and visual quality of life would not come under Tree Ordinance protection. At the Planning Commission workshop, the Commissioners showed support for keeping the ornamentals protected in the amendments.
 
3. Protect trees saved during development after ownership is transferred to an individual homeowner. We request that the City Attorney make a recommendation for how this can be done. Everyone keeps sidestepping this important issue, so let's keep it in the forefront. It's a waste of time and resources to save trees during development, then allow them to be cut down as soon as the house is sold.

TreeAction is pleased that another of our unresolved concerns is being addressed: The Council has already directed the City Attorney to research how to extend the City's regulations to the City's Sphere of Influence. The Park Commission suggested that the best way to accomplish this would be to enlist the County in adopting Chico's tree protection regulations in the sphere of influence. This recommendation will be forwarded to the Council.

There has been general support from the Internal Affairs Committee, Park Commission and Planning Commission for other facets of the amendments, including:
  • creating a Voluntary Heritage Tree Program
  • applying the Tree Ordinance to property that is 10,000sf or larger and is the subject of Subdivision and Parcel Maps. Minor Land Divisions, Boundary Line Modifications and Variances. (10,000sf is the size that can be subdivided. The Tree Ordinance still would not apply to the ordinary homeowner who is not seeking to subdivide.)
  • tree replacement regulations
  • protection of trees during construction
  • increasing and enforcing parking lot shade regulations

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To view the staff report for the May 7 Planning Commission workshop, click the following link:

When the staff report for the June 18 meeting is available online, we will link to that.

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Here's what you can do now:
1. Come to the Planning Commission meeting on Thursday, June 18*, at 6:30pm at the Council Chambers and let your views be known.
 
2. E-mail the Commissioners & Council to express your support for extending the Tree Ordinance:

The staff liaisons will see that the council and commission members receive your e-mail.

3. Visit this website for updates.
We will keep you informed of progress. After the Planning Commission vote, the matter will go back to the Council for a vote. Keep checking our website for updates.

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Thanks for supporting TreeAction!

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TIMELINE

June 18, 2009: Planning Commission votes on Tree Ordinance amendment recommendations, which will go to Council, probably in August. 

May 7, 2009: Planning Commission holds workshop on Tree Ordinance amendments

March 23, 2009: Bidwell Park & Playground Commission reviews Tree Ordinance amendments

February 17, 2009: Council refers Tree Ordinance amendments to Park & Planning Commissions.

January 13, 2009: Internal Affairs Committee requests that Council refer proposal to Park & Planning Commissions and also request staff to research how to extend the City's regulations to the Sphere of Influence.

July 8, 2008: Ad Hoc Tree Committee proposal submitted to Internal Affairs Committee

Oct 2007-June 2008:
Ad Hoc Tree Committee meets to develop proposal.
 

February 2008: Trees & Sustainability - Update by Alan Gair

January 2008: Urban Forest baseline analysis to be prepared by CSU, Chico and City of Chico. This would lead to a practical and dollar-based evaluation of the contribution that augmenting and managing our tree cover would make to the quality of our city life and would justify expenditure on these tasks.

November 2007: Alan Gair speaks on Tree Ordinance at CSUC SustainAbility Conference

Oct. 9, 2007: Internal Affairs Committee requests ad hoc committee to study extension of Tree Ordinance. Committee to include members of the public, Planning and General Services staff and members of the planning and parks commissions. Francine Gair will represent TreeAction.

Oct. 8, 2007: Internal Affairs Committee review of the Tree Ordinance

April 17, 2007: City Council unanimously refers Tree Ordinance to Internal Affairs Committee, per Scott Gruendl's request