Rancho Santa Margarita Municipal Code Ch. 7.04 Tree City USA Designation

The purpose of this chapter is to encourage and support the development and continuance of a tree maintenance program by the community associations within the City; to promote thoughtful and planned urban forestation of parks and public rights of way and other areas which may be appropriate for urban forestation; to support the designation of the City as an official Tree City USA; and to further the mission of Tree City USA.

(Ord. No. 08-01, § 1, 1-23-2008)

Association Tree Policy shall be defined as a document prepared by each participating association regulating the planting, maintenance, protection, and removal of trees and shrubs on property located within its association property.

Participating association shall be defined as any homeowner association or commercial maintenance association that participates as an active member of the Community Associations of Rancho.

Tree City USA shall be defined as the community improvement project sponsored by the National Arbor Day Foundation.

Work plan shall be defined as an annual community forestry plan that outlines all resources used to implement the Association Tree Policy. The work plan should demonstrate a participating association's ability to meet the requirements of Tree City USA.

(Ord. No. 08-01, § 1, 1-23-2008)

(a) There is hereby created the Tree Board for the City. The Tree Board shall consist of one representative from each participating association in the City, as appointed by each participating association, to be ratified by the City Council.

(b) The Tree Board is formed for the primary purpose of obtaining and maintaining the Tree City USA designation. The Tree Board shall continue in existence for so long as the Tree City designation exists. The Tree Board shall be responsible for the following:

(1) Developing a work plan.

(2) Preparing and submitting all materials required for certification and recertification of the Tree City USA designation.

(Ord. No. 08-01, § 1, 1-23-2008)

Each participating association shall develop and adopt policies, guidelines and procedures for planting, maintaining and removing trees within its respective jurisdiction as defined in its governing documents, so long as said policies, guidelines and procedures are not any less restrictive than the provisions contained within this chapter, which policies, guidelines and procedures shall also be referred to as the Association Tree Policy.

(Ord. No. 08-01, § 1, 1-23-2008; Ord. No. 09-01, § 1, 1-28-2009)

No tree owned and maintained by the City shall be removed from public rights-of-way, parks and/or other public places without cause, except in cases where the tree is diseased or the City determines that it is an issue of public safety, health or general welfare of the community. Any such tree shall be replaced with another tree of similar type.

(Ord. No. 09-01, § 2, 1-28-2009)