5.7. SR 01-27-2003 - Laserfiche WebLink

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~3f14/2000 15:35 4388810 CITY OF' STILLWATER PAGE Subd. 28. Treeprotectlon. Tree protection regulations are as follows: Findings and purpose. The City of Stillwater finds that preservation of trees and woodlands within the City is critical to the health, safety and welfare of the citizens; that development within the City has the effect of reducing and in some eases eliminating wooded area, which, if preserved .and maintained, serve important ecological, recreational and aesthetic benefit to existing and future residents. Therefore, the purposes of this subdivision are the following: 'I'o prese~e woodlands and trees on--es: protect the safety of such residents by preventing wind and water erosion, slope instability and rapid runoff; promote the health of such residents by absorption of air pollutants, contaminants and noise; and protect the welfar~ of residents by increasing rainfall infiltration to the water table; provide a diversified environment for many kinds of animals and plants necessary for wildlife maLutenance and important to the aesthetic values and recreational requirements of the area; and promote energy conservation by providing shade in the summer and windbreak in the winter. (2) District boundaries. The tree protection reguIations apply to all zoning districts within the City. Definitions. The following words when used in this subdivision shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this subsection, except where the context clearly dictates a different meaning: a. Clear cutting means removal of all or substantially all ofa stand of trees in one cutting. b. Crown cover means the ratio between the amount of land shaded by the vertical protection of the branches and foliage area of standing trees to the total area of land, usually expressed as a percentage. c. dbh: Diameter at breast height ora tree measured at a point approximately 54 inches above ground. d. Development means the construction, addition, installation or alteration of any structure, the extraction, clearing or other alteration of land or the division of land into two or more parcels, for the purpose of transfer of title or building development. e. Development permit means any subdivision, planned u_nit development, ZOning permit, grading permit, preliminary plat approval, rezoning, special use permit o~: variance. f. Dimensional requirement means minimum and maximum setbacks, yard requirements and structure height or size restriction established in the zoning and subdivision ordinances. g. Person means any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, association or other private or governmental entity. h. Structure means anything manufactured, constructed or erected that is normally attached to or positioned on land, including portable or temporary structures. i. Significant Tree means a tree measuring at least 6 inches in diameter at 54 inches above ground (dbh). Cottonwood, silver maple and box elder are protected at a size of 20 inches (dbh). Buekthorn and Siberian elm are not considered significant trees at any size.