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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Item - 2001-09-18 - Number 4.1.1 - CITY OF LAKE OSWEGO AGENDA REPORT SUMMARY 4. 1 . 1 09/18/01 MEETING DATE: September 18, 2001 SUBJECT: Request to create an Ad-Hoc Tree Code Review Task Force. The Task Force will be charged with evaluating the Lake Oswego Tree Code (LOC 55) and providing recommendations for potential amendments. RECOMMENDED MOTION: Move to approve the formation of an Ad-Hoc Tree Code Review Task Force and related Charge Statement. EST. FISCAL IMPACT: ATTACHMENTS: NOTICED (Date): STAFF COST: • Council Report • Charge Statement One staff member for meetings; transcription of meetings. Ordinance nos.: Resolution no.: BUDGETED: Previous Council consideration: Y N Council approved the last Tree Code Revisions in October 2000. FUNDING SOURCE: Council discussed the Charge Statement and recommended changes in the Agenda Review Session on September 4, 2001. EPT. DIRECTOR ASST. CITY MANAGER CI ANAGER q - /,2 — 0 / /". c:)./ signoff/date signoff/date signoff/dat `,c, COUNCIL REPORT °REG°N To: Doug Schmitz, City Manager CC: Jane Heisler, Community Planning Manager Hamid Pishvaie, Development Review Manager From: Lisa Hamerlynck,Natural Resource Coordinator Subject: Request to Create an Ad-Hoc Tree Code Review Task Force Date: September 12, 2001 The City Council met with the Natural Resource Advisory Board (NRAB) on July 17, 2001, to discuss issues of concern, including update of LOC Chapter 55, the Tree Code. At this meeting, members of the City Council expressed several concerns with the current Tree Code regulations. Several of the current NRAB members had been involved in the most recent review of the Tree Code and were able to respond to some of the concerns with historical background. Jonathan Snell, Chair of the NRAB, offered that the NRAB had discussed the possibility of proposing an ad-hoc committee to address Tree Code issues that have been raised since the last Tree Code update in October 2000. Mayor Hammerstad and several members of the Council expressed interest in the idea of an ad-hoc committee. Based on this suggestion, staff has put together a charge statement and a list of suggested membership for Council's review. During a morning Council Agenda Review meeting on September 4, 2001, Council reviewed the charge statement and offered changes. Staff revised the charge statement by editing language to encourage a diverse cross section of members, development of a public outreach plan, and to increase the number of members. The term of the Task Force will be six months. The revised charge statement follows. Ad-hoc Tree Code Ad-HocReview Task Force 2001 `,�OE 1. KE psis. Lake Oswego Ad-Hoc Tree Code Review Task Force Charge Statement OREGON BACKGROUND The City of Lake Oswego citizens have identified the trees of the City as one of the factors that impacts their quality of life. In order to preserve the wooded character of the city and to protect trees as a natural resource, the City has enacted a Tree Code (55.02.010), which regulates the removal of trees and prescribes preventative protection measures to avoid damage to trees during site development. The last revision of the Tree Code occurred in October 2000. Based on public comment, the City Council has requested that the Code be reviewed to determine how well it is achieving the desired results. It was the recommendation of Council and the Natural Resource Advisory Board (NRAB) that an Ad Hoc Task Force be formed from a diverse cross section of the community to review the current Code. CHARGE The Ad Hoc Tree Code Review Task Force is charged with evaluating the Lake Oswego Tree Code (LOC Chapter 55) and providing recommendations for potential amendments. It is the intent of this effort to assess how the current Code is being interpreted, how the public perceives the Code, and what measures can be taken to improve the Code. The Task Force shall reach a general consensus on findings and recommendations. Findings and recommendations will be presented to the Natural Resource Advisory Board (NRAB) for comments. All comments will be presented to Council for consideration and direction. Any Code amendments proposed as a result of these findings and recommendations will follow normal public process. The Task Force will develop a recommendation for a public outreach plan that may include a survey of permit applicants, public forum and/or an educational component. SCOPE • Review written public feedback to Code. • Review issues of concern expressed by the City Council and Mayor. • Review staff comments compiled by Sandy Ingalls (City Code Enforcement). Ad-hoc Tree Code Ad-HocReview Task Force 2001 • Review several "case studies" for Tree Code issues since the last Code update. • Review statistics regarding permits, including: number of permits applied for, issued, and the number of trees replanted. • Prepare a findings document. • Prepare a public outreach program. • Suggest Code changes to address the findings. TASK FORCE COMPOSITION The Task Force shall be composed of representatives from the following segments of our community. The Task Force membership and the chair shall be appointed by the City Council. The City Code Enforcement Officer will staff the Task Force. Number of SEGMENT Representatives • Arborist representative from the 1 Forestry Commission • Arborist at-large 1 • NRAB Representative 1 • Citizens at-large 4-6 TOTAL 7-9 TERM OF THE TASK FORCE The Task Force will complete its' charge within six-months. L Nrah/tree code/tree code ad-hoc Ad-hoc Tree Code Ad-HocReview Task Force 2001