Secondary and Cumulative Impacts Master Management Plan - 2014

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

B. Required A tree survey shall be prepared and submitted as part of any application for development subject to this section except for development of a single-family detached, duplex, or manufactured home dwelling on an existing lot.

C. Contents

The inventory shall include:

1. The latest available aerial photograph of the development site; 2. A plan depicting:

a. The location, area, predominant species, general health, estimated tree number, and average DBH of stands of trees; b. The location, species, general health, and DBH (diameter at breast height) of all individual specimen trees on the site;

c. Known dead or diseased trees, where practical; and

d. The percentage of the development site area (excluding proposed street rights-of-way, existing utility easements, and natural water surface areas) that is covered by existing tree canopy.

5.4.4. Tree Canopy Retention 295

A. Minimum Percentage

1.

Applicability Except as exempted by subsection 2 below, or otherwise allowed and mitigated in accordance with Section 5.4.8, Mitigation for Tree Removal, existing tree canopy cover on a development site outside the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) or Main Street (MS) District shall be retained and protected in accordance with Table 5.4.4.A, Existing Tree Canopy Retention Standards, based on the proposed type of development. The table represents a sliding scale in which minimum percentage of existing tree canopy that must be retained varies inversely with the percentage of existing tree canopy. Where the existing tree canopy cover falls between two percentage points shown on the table, the minimum required tree canopy retention shall be prorated between the corresponding percentage points for minimum required tree canopy retention. (See example in the table.)

2.

Exemptions

The following development is exempt from the requirements of this subsection:

a. Development exempt from the standards of this section by Section 5.4.2.B, Exemptions;

b. Development of a single-family detached, duplex, or manufactured home dwelling on an existing lot.

295 As recommended in the Assessment Report (p. 24), this subsection requires a percentage of a development site‘s existing tree canopy cover to be retained, based on the type of development. The formulas reflect the approach that the sparser the existing tree canopy, the more of what there is should be retained. Differentiating residential from nonresidential and mixed-use development reflects the greater lot coverage typical of nonresidential and mixed-use development.

June 2013 Page 5-6

Morrisville, NC

Unified Development Ordinance - Public Hearing Draft