14.32.070 Additional considerations for commercial developments.
Commercial projects generally have different demands than residential areas. Commercial sites have parking lots to serve the traveling public, they have larger buildings, and they may have need of significant utility infrastructure to service commercial uses. While Lacey has the same goals to maintain our tree canopy and to save significant stands of trees, urban forestry requirements for commercial areas need to be crafted to acknowledge and plan for differences in site design and construction requirements. In addition to other requirements of this chapter, commercial sites shall have emphasis on the following considerations and requirements:
A. Early planning prior to project design shall consider the stands of trees on the site. For a land use application to be considered complete a tree inventory with consideration of urban forestry issues shall be required to be submitted with the land use application. The tree inventory and evaluation shall be utilized in the design layout of the site. Existing trees and protection opportunities shall play an important role in site design;
B. The major strategy for tree protection on commercial sites will be designation of a tree tract(s) pursuant to the requirements of LMC 14.32.068. Analysis and recommendations of the tree protection professional will determine if certain individual trees should have special emphasis based upon their health and significance, individual site conditions, and retention opportunities. A review of these recommendations shall be provided in the tree protection professional’s report;
C. The selection of the location of the tree tract(s) and individual trees shall be chosen early on at the pre-submission stage, before design of the site, and it shall consider the best location of the site to address urban forestry issues. The design of the commercial site layout shall work within the framework of tree protection opportunities for designation of the tree tract and individual trees;
D. Deciduous trees are generally encouraged for parking areas because of advantages for solar access considerations (shading in summer and solar access in winter), temperature and climate control factors (reducing temperature in parking lots in summer), pollution control advantages (broad leaves’ absorption of gases and removal filtering of particulate matter), and options for providing tree canopy coverage over parking sites and drive lanes. Select deciduous trees can also be chosen for root character that will not damage asphalt and parking lot overlays. For these advantages, planting of select deciduous trees will generally be a good choice to provide canopy coverage in parking lots for commercial sites over the long term. It is also important to restore some native conifers to the project site. This can occur in larger planter islands or as a backdrop to buildings or as foundation plantings to break up concrete facades. The tree protection professional’s report shall reflect these considerations, shall indicate the best areas for removal of trees to accommodate parking needs (based upon indigenous tree areas with the least protection value) and shall recommend replacement of trees;
E. In some cases commercial sites may require extensive grading because of the nature of the topography and other development requirements. For this reason, and the emphasis on provision of a designated tree tract to achieve canopy goals, some flexibility may be permitted for grading to provide for intensive infrastructure needs of the project design; provided, the design takes advantage of tree protection opportunities to provide an attractive, functional and unique shopping experience. This flexibility is not intended to limit creative development with the site. Where possible, commercial developments should seek to use variations in terrain to create an interesting development scheme.
F. Trees planted in planter strips, medians, and tree wells with grates shall follow City of Lacey Development Guidelines and Public Works Standards in Chapter 4B.125, Landscape/Planter Areas, for specific site preparation requirements and Drawings 4-29 and 4-30.
G. Trees located in an existing tree tract or landscaping of a commercial development may not be removed, unless approved through the following procedures:
1. Permit Required. No tree on existing commercial development shall be removed without first applying for and receiving a permit. The applicant for the permit shall be the property owner. An application for a tree removal permit shall be submitted on a form provided by the city. The applicant must state the justification for removal on the tree removal application.
2. Review. The director or her/his designee shall review the application for tree removal, the tree protection professional’s report and any applicable information. In the review, the following factors will be considered:
a. Documented history of property damage caused by the tree(s).
b. The size and location of the tree(s) causes typical maintenance, pruning and dead branch removal infeasible due to cost or is physically not practible by tree care professionals.
c. The tree does not meet criteria for a specimen tree.
3. Replanting. Any tree permitted to be removed under this subsection shall be mitigated by planting replacement trees at a ratio required by Table 14-T70.
Minimum Number of Trees to Be Replanted | |
|---|---|
Less than 6 | 1 |
6 and up to 12 | 2 |
More than 12 and up to 20 | 3 |
More than 20 and up to 25 | 5 |
More than 25 | 7 |
Replacement trees will be a minimum of one and one-half inch caliper for deciduous species and six to seven feet tall for conifers unless otherwise recommended by the city tree protection professional. Conifers will be native to the Pacific Northwest. Deciduous tree species will be compatible with the other trees in the open space, and will provide wildlife, aesthetic, and other amenities to the open space. If the site cannot accommodate the amount of replanting required, the city’s tree account may be used pursuant to LMC 14.32.066(B).
4. Tree Protection Professional Report. The city’s tree protection professional shall review the site and provide a report analyzing the site for tree replacement consistent with the requirements of this chapter. The report should provide information important to urban forest management and options for consideration when developing replanting plans. The report should suggest options for design to best achieve the purposes of the Urban Forest Management Plan and this chapter. The report shall include but shall not be limited to:
a. Analysis of what portion of the open space is best for replanting, considering the intent of this chapter, soil type, topography, tree species, health of trees and reasonable project design limitations;
b. Recommendations for replacement tree species based upon the intent of this chapter, soil type, topography, tree species, health of trees, and reasonable project design limitations;
c. Consideration of the location of roads, other infrastructure, and buildings and potential options for alternative locations, if applicable, to best satisfy the purposes of the Urban Forest Management Plan;
d. A timeline for tree replacement;
e. An irrigation and watering plan to maintain replacement tree health and survival.
5. Decision. The director or her/his designee shall issue their decision in writing to include rationale supporting the decision pursuant to procedures and requirements of Section 1E.030 (Limited Administrative Review of Applications) of the Development Guidelines and Public Works Standards. (Ord. 1617 §8, 2022; Ord. 1269 §18, 2006).