Morrisville Unified Development Ordinance - February 2021.2

Article 5: Development Standards Section 5.4. Tree Protection 5.4.4. Tree Canopy Retention

canopy and the priorities established in Section 5.4.4.B, Priority Retention Areas. (See example application in Table 5.4.4.A: Existing Tree Canopy Retention Standards.) Table 5.4.4.A: Existing Tree Canopy Retention Standards

Minimum Percentage of Existing Tree Canopy Cover to be Retained

Existing Tree Canopy Cover [1]

Single-Family Attached, Group Living and Multifamily Development

Nonresidential and Mixed-Use Development

92% up to 100% 84% up to 92% 76% up to 84% 68% up to 76% 60% up to 68% 52% up to 60% 44% up to 52% 38% up to 44% 30% up to 38% 22% up to 30% 14% up to 22% 6% up to 14%

19% 21% 23% 25% 27% 29% 31% 33% 35% 37% 39% 41%

10% 11% 12% 13% 14% 15% 16% 17% 18% 19% 20% 21%

0% up to 6%

n/a

n/a

Notes: [1] Existing tree canopy cover is the percentage of a development site (excluding proposed street rights-of-way, existing utility easements, and natural water surface areas) that is covered by existing tree canopy before development or land disturbing activity.

ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES:

(1) The tree survey establishes that 80% of a 100,000-square-foot multifamily development site is covered by existing tree canopy. Because 80% falls within the 76% up to 84% range, the minimum required tree canopy retention for the site is 23% of the existing canopy from mature deciduous trees. This equates to 18.4% of the total development site (80,000 x 23%), yielding a tree protection area of approximately 18,400 square feet. (2) On the same sized multifamily development site, the tree survey established that only 20% of the site is covered by existing from mature deciduous trees. Because 20% falls within the 14% up to 22% range, the minimum required tree canopy retention is 39% of the existing tree cover. This equates to 7.8% of the total development site (20,000 x 39%), yielding a tree protection area of 7, 800 square feet.

(Ord. No. 2016-001, 05/10/2016)

Morrisville, NC

February 1, 2021

Unified Development Ordinance

Page 5-7