Tuesday, April 16, 2002

Council approves tree-protection amendments, 6-0
By Elizabeth Lee
Staff Writer

PASADENA -- Private property owners who prune or cut down certain trees without obtaining city permission could be fined under a revised tree-protection ordinance approved by the City Council Monday night.

The council voted 6-0, with Joyce Streator and Chris Holden absent, to adopt amendments to the city's tree ordinance, which previously covered only publicly-owned trees.

The new ordinance makes it illegal under threat of "civil and criminal penalties," which will typically be fines for homeowners, apartment and condominium owners, and all commercial property owners to cut down designated trees on their property.

"What I think we're really trying to do here is protect these wonderful trees to the best degree we can," said Councilman Sid Tyler.

More than half the city's roughly 200,000 trees are on private land. The ordinance would protect those trees if they fall under three varieties: landmark, native or specimen trees.

Landmark trees are considered historically or culturally significant, because they're the outstanding feature of their neighborhood, because they're associated with a historic building, street, event or person, or because they're the largest or oldest of the species in the city.

Native trees must belong to one of 13 different varieties of native species, such as oak, walnut and sycamore, and must have a diameter of at least 8 inches measured at a point 4 1/2 feet from the ground.

Specimen trees must possess distinctive forms, sizes, and ages, and must be outstanding examples of desirable species. (The council also approved by resolution a list of trees that could qualify as specimen trees.)

Under the new ordinance, the city can designate a tree as a landmark tree through a process similar to the way it declares a building to be a landmark.

It will be illegal to cut down or even prune landmark trees on any part of any private property, without first getting city permission.

The restrictions on native and specimen trees are a little looser. Pruning will be allowed without a permit on private property. But cutting down such trees will be banned on all commercial properties and on most multi-family residential properties, except if the owner gets the city's approval.

If the property happens to be single-family residential meaning a house or a lot with only two units, cutting down such trees is also banned, except in certain parts of the yard. If the tree is located in the rear yard or side yard, at a distance from the property line that exceeds the required setback, the owner does not need city permission to cut it down.

In all other parts of the yard, however, including front and corner yards, and portions of side and rear yards within setbacks, the owner needs city permission to remove it.

In addition to creating protections for trees on private property, the revised tree ordinance will have stronger protections for publicly-owned trees.

The council tentatively approved the ordinance last September, directing the city attorney to draft the language, but the amendments have undergone substantial review and revision by city staff and commissions since then. The ordinance needs one more formal reading by the council before it becomes law.

-- Elizabeth Lee can be reached at (626) 578-6300, Ext. 4461, or by e-mail at elizabeth.lee@sgvn.com.