HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 2001 0919 CC REG ITEM 11HTo:
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Date:
MOORPARK CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA REPORT
The Honorable City Council
ITEM 1 I . 14 .
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BY:
Wayne Loftus, Director of Community DevelopmentAi<
September 12, 2001 (CC Meeting of 9/19/01)
Subject: Consider Acceptance of Oak Tree Preservation Measures as
a Substitute for Additional Landscaping to Satisfy
Provisions of the Tree Preservation Ordinance for Kavlico
Industries Parking Lot Expansion at 14501 Los Angeles
Avenue (APN 513 -0- 010 -25) (Minor Mod No. 3 to Development
Plan No. 318)
BACKGROUND
On September 6, 2000, the City Council approved Minor Modification
No. 3 to Development Plan No. 318, to allow Kavlico Industries to
construct a parking lot addition of forty -two (42) parking spaces
to serve their existing industrial development. The approval which
was based upon a redesign of the improvement area proposed by staff
was granted subject to twenty (20) conditions. The recommended
redesign resulted in the removal of one (1) mature oak tree with a
twenty -eight (2811) inch trunk circumference. The tree report
prepared for the proposed parking lot expansion designated the tree
as having a replacement value of $29,414.80, which was verified by
the City Landscape Consultant /Arborist. The applicant's initial
request was to remove nine (9) trees with a total replacement value
of $156,797.99 (Attachment No. 1). The parking lot improvements are
now complete and Sunbelt Enterprises, representing Kavlico, has
requested final approval of the facility. Additional landscaping
beyond the City's standard was not installed and applicant is
proposing that oak tree preservation measures satisfy the
Ordinance, instead of the installation of additional planting.
S: \Community Development \Everyone \City Council Agenda Reports \cc9.19.01 stf rpt.tree preservation
ord.d2.91201.doc ^;`
The Honorable City Council
Tree Preservation Ordinance for Kavlico Industries Parking Lot
Expansion
September 12, 2001
Page 2
DISCUSSION
The parking lot facility developed under approval of Minor
Modification No. 3 to Development Plan No. 318, resulted in the
preservation of a significant grove of oak trees which had been
proposed for removal. Preservation occurred based upon a staff -
initiated redesign and subsequent City Council conditional approval
of the proposed modification (Attachment No. 2). The redesign
included a reduction of seven (7) spaces from applicant's proposal
and required the construction of significant retaining walls to
maintain the oak trees which are on an east - facing hillside. The
City Council approval included several conditions that specifically
addressed the parking lot design to achieve preservation of the oak
trees. Additionally, provisions of the condition for a landscape
plan included placement of additional plant material, equal to the
value of any tree removal.
The revised parking lot layout resulted in the removal of only one
(1) mature oak tree, however its replacement value at $29,414.80
was the highest of all of the trees originally proposed for removal
by the project developer. The removal of any trees from a site with
a trunk cross - sectional area of seventy -two (72 sq. in.) square
inches, a native oak or heritage tree to allow for development,
requires replacement landscape materials to be added to an approved
landscape plan, equal to the value of the removed tree. The
applicant has not included additional landscaping in the project
beyond that required by the approved landscape plan. The applicant
instead has proposed that the construction solution valued by the
Building Department at $46,140, using retaining walls to preserve
all but one (1) of the on -site oak trees be recognized as a
substitute for the required enhanced landscaping. The City Council
did not address this option, which was not requested at the time of
project approval, but did include a condition for landscaping
upgrading or enhancement as required by Section 12.12.070 of the
Municipal Code. Because of the significance of the oak tree
woodland that could have been impacted and the final implemented
solution that preserves this vegetation, applicant's request may be
reasonable.
Based upon the current language found in Chapter 12.12 - Historic
Trees, Native Oak Trees and Mature Trees, a determination
concerning issuance of a permit for tree removal is made by the
S: \Community Development \Everyone \City Council Agenda Reports \cc9.19.01 stf rpt.tree preservation
ord.d2.91201.doc �y
The Honorable City Council
Tree Preservation Ordinance for Kavlico Industries Parking Lot
Expansion
September 12, 2001
Page 3
Director of Community Development with appeals of the director's
decision referred to the Planning Commission. There are currently
no provisions for substitution of mitigation measures from the
requirement to enhance the landscaping of urban projects, when
trees are removed. Based upon this fact that alternatives are not
provided, the City Council may determine the intent of the
Ordinance and direct that a specific solution is, _in the judgement
of the City Council, consistent with the intent of the Ordinance
provisions.
Should the City Council conclude that the intent of the Tree
Preservation Ordinance has been met, based upon the efforts
described to preserve these oak trees, staff should be directed to
grant a final inspection on the project. All other conditions
required for development of the additional parking facilities have
been satisfied. However, if the City Council does not conclude that
the Tree Preservation Ordinance replacement provisions have been
met, the developer will be required to supplement the on -site
landscaping to the value of the removed oak tree at $29,414.80.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Approve the substitution of oak tree preservation measures
described herein as satisfying Ordinance requirements for enhanced
landscaping.
Attachments:
1. Applicant Proposal.
2. Staff design /City Council approved.
S: \Community Development \Everyone \City Council Agenda Reports \cc9.19.01 stf rpt.tree preservation
ord.d2.91201.doc