Capitola Municipal Code Art. II Tree Planting

The director, with the advice and participation of the public works director, planning commission, and city council, may prepare a “community forest program” to guide tree replanting efforts throughout the city, including planting on public properties, streets, parks and sensitive habitat areas. This program would be established as a result from the collection of fees and potential grant funding.

A. Program Elements. The program shall incorporate the following elements: mapping identification of tree planting sites; prioritized planting plan and schedule; standards and lists of trees for tree selection, including the Capitola recommended tree list; guidelines for sitting, planting and pruning of trees on public property; maintenance plan; inspection requirements and specific licensing requirements for tree trimmers.

B. Program Incentives. The community forest program should provide for financial and technical incentives, and eligibility criteria, for activities such as:

1. Maintenance and problem solving for heritage trees, such as arborists’ evaluations, are possible mitigations to save a heritage tree, including selective removal of roots, branches and/or special trimming;

2. Planting incentives to encourage increased canopy coverage and neighborhood identity;

3. Other incentives to encourage educational efforts similar to the heritage tree walk.

C. Program Provisions. The community forest program should include several planting and maintenance items including, but not limited to:

1. Specific city permit requirements for tree trimmers/tree climbers needed to obtain a “city permit to operate,” such as relationship with or employment of a certified arborist and certified tree climber; insurance and contractor’s license; low noise producing equipment; and commitment to follow provisions of city ordinance;

2. Retain a certified arborist under a city contract to perform tree evaluation and reports on heritage and nonheritage trees for a flat fee, paid for by the applicant. The contract certified arborist should be retained as soon as the ordinance codified in this chapter is effective.

3. Specific provisions for public works department staff to monitor compliance with project conditions of approval and supervise/monitor replacement trees on public property.

D. Flowering Trees. The program would encourage the planting of large and/or small flowering trees, according to different neighborhoods. Deciduous flowering trees would allow sun exposure in the winter months and provide color in the spring and other seasons. Flowering trees can create neighborhood identity. A tree expert should review the program prior to its adoption.

E. Neighborhood Entries. The program would incorporate a section regarding the selection of at least two suggested flowering trees per neighborhood, and provisions for a neighborhood entry sign with a few of those colored trees being planted around the sign to establish the neighborhood program. Property owners would be encouraged to plant similar trees on their properties with the objective of creating a special identity for their neighborhood. Suggested flowering trees would reflect specific neighborhood characteristics, such as view shed issues, character protection, and soils. The city may provide an incentive to property owners, by supplying young trees for “free” to accelerate the show of specific neighborhood colors. The approval of the selected neighborhood flowering trees shall be subject to a regularly scheduled public hearing so as to inform the residents and welcome participation. There is no obligation on the part of the resident to plant a selected tree.

F. Funding. In addition to resources of the tree and canopy replacement in-lieu fees to be deposited in the community tree and forest management account, the program would pursue potential grant funding to pay for educational efforts, monitoring and evaluation of this chapter. (Ord. 863 § 2, 2004)

The canopy coverage throughout the city includes all trees on public and private properties, including street trees, parks, and habitat areas. Habitat areas include riparian corridors and monarch butterfly habitat, as identified in the general plan, local coastal program and the city’s environmentally sensitive habitats ordinance (Chapter 17.64 of this code).

On individual lots, canopy coverage shall be evaluated as part of tree removal permit or development application requests as set forth in Section 12.12.190. (Ord. 863 § 2, 2004)

A. Recommended Tree List.

1. Development of the Capitola Recommended Tree List. The director, with the advice and participation of the planning commission and city council, shall prepare a “Capitola recommended tree list” to identify types and species of trees suitable and desirable for planting along streets and on private property, and determine the areas in which and conditions under which such trees shall be planted in or which may overhang the public streets or public property. The list should reflect the different city natural habitats and neighborhoods; and should encourage use of California natives and drought-tolerant species. Such determination shall be made by the planning commission, which may consult with landscape architects and arborists. The planning commission may report its findings in writing to the city council, and the council may approve the “Capitola recommended tree list,” which may be filed and available to the public from the community development department, or as part of the community forest program.

2. Purpose. The purpose of the Capitola recommended tree list is to help property owners to select new trees for their properties. The list shall include, but not be limited to, the following information: botanical and common names; suitability as a street tree; height; physical characteristics (deciduous or evergreen, required exposure); decorative features (flowering and/or scented); and tolerances to drought, insects, diseases, saline environment, and irrigation watering. Recommended flowering trees for identified neighborhoods may also be included.

B. Trees Discouraged from Planting. Please refer to the Capitola recommended tree list.

C. Considerations Related to Solar Orientation. The planting, and replacement of trees shall take into consideration solar orientation for the benefit of the property in question as well as adjacent properties. For more information, please refer to brochures available at the community development department regarding considerations related to solar orientation and planting locations for trees in order to maximize sun exposure in the winter and shaded areas in the summer. (Ord. 863 § 2, 2004)

Tree provisions covering planting, maintenance, and removal of trees on public and private land help to maintain maximum tree cover/canopy coverage. As tree size and canopy coverage increase the benefits derived from the urban forest increase. The benefit/cost ratio of urban trees for a community is as high as seven and nine-tenths to one, and well worth the investment. Property values of landscaped homes are five to twenty percent higher than those of non-landscaped homes (International Society of Arboriculture). A city brochure on the “Environmental and Socio-Economic Benefits of Trees” is available to provide information regarding energy conservation, air quality, prevention of water run-off, flooding and soil erosion, enhancement of community identity and well-being, and protection of city hardscape. (Ord. 863 § 2, 2004)