Tree Code Revisions

You’ve contributed to code review and revision, for more than a year now!  Thank you!  

  1. Minor tree-related code revisions will be considered by the City of San Diego’s Planning Committee on October 1.  Review report with code revision proposals, this version with tree items shaded yellow.
  2. Two code revision requests (of the four below) were considered on July 1, 2020.
  3. Four code revision requests were submitted on March 1, 2020, for the land development code (LDC), in the City of San Diego, see text-4 requests.  These covered planting points (container size and palms), infill and spacing, vehicular use areas and other provisions (for urban wood utilization, and protecting birds and other wildlife during tree care).
  4. Suggested revisions for street tree protection and planting codes were forwarded to City Forester Brian Widener on February 19.
  5. Changes in the Regional Standard Drawings that relate to trees (in Landscaping) will be requested, http://www.regional-stds.com/ .  This includes drawings that need to be revised, deleted or added (for nursery stock inspection and installation).

 

Review process 

  1. On March 8, 2019, twenty arborists, landscape architects, and planners met to launch a process for reviewing local tree-related codes, as some had not been revised in decades and no longer followed industry standards. Since then, they have been joined by others to review current codes for planning, installing, maintaining and protecting trees. 
  2. During teleconference calls and email exchanges, they have confirmed that much of the code still reflects industry standards and local conditions (although code compliance is a related, complex and under-performed activity), and they have recommended changes for some sections. 
  3. Tree-related code recommendations were reviewed with forty attending a workshop on Wednesday, February 5, 11:00 to 12:30, at the Santa Fe, Balboa Park Club, sponsored by the San Diego Regional Urban Forests Council.
  4. The City of San Diego has set up a new process for land development code revisions, and will no longer convene the Land Development Code “committee” or task force that met on second Wednesday of every month and had various “stakeholder” representatives.
  5. The City will accept “applications” for code changes by March 1 of each year, followed by environmental and public review, then public hearings in existing committees. Workshop recommendations will be written into the online application and “strike-out” version of the changes. 
  6. There are regional landscape drawings that include trees, some with elements that no longer meet industry standards. They will also be reviewed by one of the small groups during the workshop.

 

Why are changes needed in local tree-related codes?  (a few reasons)  Too many trees are planted in too-small spaces, not cared for, and die within a decade. Then replanted “the same way.”  Most municipalities haven’t read or checked their tree-related codes in many years. Code compliance and enforcement are often lacking, sometimes due to inadequate or outdated codes. Cities are concerned about tree-related liabilities, yet may not have defensible codes or tree maintenance.

What are the key elements of urban tree management?

  1. Planning and design, including design codes and tree selection (right tree-right place-right purpose)
  2. Installation, including specifications (soils, nursery stock, irrigation) and planting diagrams
  3. Maintenance, including early establishment, long-term maintenance, management of older-mature trees, and infrastructure conflicts
  4. Protection of older, larger trees

Documents prepared for small group reviews at February 5, 2020 meeting:   

  1. General planting requirements, related to plant points
  2. General planting requirements, related to Infill and spacing
  3. Vehicular use (parking lots)
  4. Additional provisions (urban utilization, tree care for birds and other wildlife)
  5. Protection of trees during construction
  6. Street tree planting and protection
  7. Protected (heritage) trees
  8. Trees in parks
  9. Regional standard drawings  Planting 1  Planting 2    Stakes  Sidewalks Grates
  10. Addition to regional standard drawings   Nursery stock   CalFire Specifications for Nursery Tree Quality

 

Interim documents 

Three Tree Code Revision groups met in spring 2019.

1-Planning and design TreeCodes_1-Planning_29apr19

Teleconference call held on May 7, and group is developing draft “points” based on tree size, benefits and other attributes (not on size of planted tree), seeking guidelines for trees in green roofs, drafting revisions to brush management code relating to trees, and writing rationale for planting trees in public spaces (to counter infill projects that reduce green space).

 

2-Installation, TreeCodes_2-Installation_29apr19  Teleconference call held on May 9, and notes incorporated into document with tree planting diagrams, below. 

These are diagrams to review and recommend for incorporation into codes and specifications:

These are specification to review and recommend for incorporation:

 

3-Maintenance and protection   TreeCodes_3-Maint-Protection_29apr19

 

City of San Diego documents:

County of San Diego just beginning several-year process for Land Development Code,  https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/pds/advance/ldc.html  .