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Home My WebLink About2012/05/22 Item 11CITY COUNCIL ~~ AGENDA STATEMENT ~~~ CITY OF CHULA VISTA MAY 22, 2012, Item ITEM TITLE SUBMITTED BY: REVIEWED BY RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA TO ADOPT COUNCIL POLICY NUMBER 576-19 "SHADE TREE POLICY" DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECT03ISTANT CITY MANAGER CITY MANAGER /J 5 4/STHS VOTE: YES ~ NO SUMMARY The Council approved a "Climate Action Plan" in 2008 containing 7 strategies aimed at reducing the effects of climate change. In 2011, the plan was amended to include 11 additional strategies including # 2, a Shade Tree Policy. A working group comprising City staff and relevant community stakeholders was set up to create a Policy that addressed the issue of heat islands and the impact that planting shade trees would have in reducing this effect. The attached policy represents the working group's product. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW The Development Services Director has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the action qualifies for a Class 8 categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15308 [Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment] of the State CEQA Guidelines because, the contemplated action proposes adoption of climate protection polices and programs designed to reduce harmful greenhouse gas or "carbon" emissions and their associated impacts. Thus, no further environmental review is necessary. RECOMMENDATION Council adopt the resolution. 11-1 Item No.: _[~ Meeting Date: OS-22-12 Page 2 of 2 BOARDS/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION The Resource Conservation Commission approved the draft Shade Tree Policy on Jan 9`h 2012. DISCUSSION The Heat Island effect is addressed in the current version of the Chula Vista Design Manual approved by resolution No. 2011-008 on Jan. 18"' 2011. See pages V-91 and VI-92 attached. In the Landscape Design section of the Conservation Chapter of the document there is a requirement "that planting (in parking lots) should achieve over 50% shading of paved areas within five years from the time of installation. The shade tree working group included staff representatives from the following disciplines; Landscape Architecture, Engineering, Arboriculture and Conservation. It also included interested local community members and Landscape Architects that regularly design landscapes for projects in Chula Vista. The group used the requirement for shade trees in parking areas in the Chula Vista Design Manual, page V-91 as a starting point. The resulting shade tree policy complements and elaborates on this requirement. The Development Oversight Committee approved the content of the attached policy at their meeting on May 8"' 2012, DECISION MAKER CONFLICT Staff has reviewed the decision contemplated by this action and has determined that it is not site specific and consequently the 500 foot rule found in California Code of Regulations section 18704.2(a)(1) is not applicable to this action. CURRENT YEAR FISCAL IMPACT There are no current year fiscal impacts to the General Fund for this action. The intent of any actions governed by this policy will be at the burden of private development. There are no current fiscal year City projects that would be governed by the shade tree policy. There are no current year fiscal impacts to the General Fund. ONGOING FISCAL IMPACT Any ongoing fiscal impacts as a result of private development and the implementation of the shade tree policy will be the sole burden of each particular private development. Ongoing fiscal impacts for future City projects would be relatively negligible since the inclusion of shade trees is a normal practice in City project development. Adoption of this resolution does not create a burden or tax on the General Fund. ATTACHMENTS 1. Page V-91 of the City of Chula Vista Design Manual, updated Jan 18 2011 2. Draft Shade Tree Policy No.576-19 Prepared by.' Mary Radley, Landscape Architect, Development Services 11-2 CONSERVAl10N Landscape planting is to be used to frame, soften, and embellish the quality of the environment, to buffer units from noise or undesirable views, to break up large expanses of parking, and to separate frontage roads within a project from public streets. To accomplish these design objectives, landscape elements need vertical dimension. Trees and tall shrubs are needed in addition to grass and groundcover. Plant shade trees where they can provide natural shading and cooling for buildings. Landscaping should be in scale with adjacent structures and be of appropriate size at maturity to accomplish its intended purpose. Use larger specimen trees at major entrances, along street frontages and in larger open space areas. Flowering and multi-trunk species arc encouraged. Tree grates should occur along the edges of internal streets and in plazas where a continuous walking surface is needed. Tree guards should extend vertically from tree grates, and serve to protect trees in highly active areas. Tree guards should be narrow, painted in a similar color, and relate to other site furnishings. Tree guards should be attached to the tree grate and welds should not be visible. Planters and pots should be located where pedestrian flow will not be obstructed. Consider placing pots in locations where deep building recesses exist, where access is discouraged, to provide definition to spaces, and adjacent to blank walls. Landscaping provides visual relief within parting facilities. Planting should achieve over ~0% shading of paved areas within five years from time of installation. Maximize distribution of landscaping. VI-91 11-3 COUNCIL POLICY CITY OF CHULA VISTA SUBJECT: SHADE TREE POLICY POLICY EFFECTIVE NUMBER DATE PAGE 576-19 May 22, 2012 1 OF 2 ADOPTED BY: Resolution No. XXXXXX DATED: 1-3-12 AMENDED BY: RACKGROTJND The Municipal Code requires the installation of trees in parking lots (19.62.090 and 19.58.230) and new subdivisions (18.32.110). The Climate Change Working Group recommended that policies for shade trees be adopted that complement existing tree and water conservation policies for both public and private projects to address the effects of urban heat islands and to reduce the risks from local climate change impacts. The Climate Change Working Group also recommended that the policies not be so prescriptive as to preclude the use of other shade structures including, but not limited to, solar carports. & APPTJCARTT TTV PTiRPO4F , , It is the purpose of this policy to provide guidelines for the selection & placement of new shade trees as well as the retention of existing shade trees for both public and private projects within the scope of this policy. It also includes alternative measures to be implemented where tree planting is not feasible. The following projects are subject to the Shade Tree Policy: a. All new parking lots. (Includes public, private and Capital Improvement Program projects.) b. All new public and private streets (excluding alleyways.) pnT,TCV Parking,]ntc 1. Provide shade trees for all new parking lots that, in good growing conditions, will achieve 50% canopy cover over the parking stall areas five to fifteen years after the planting date for that tree (acknowledging the competing space requirements for utilities, site lines, accessibility or other parking lot design features) and providing light colored ("coop') paving and/or shade structures in those areas to meet the 50% coverage requirement if the use of shade trees is limited due to the abovementioned reasons. 11-4 COUNCIL POLICY CITY OF CHULA VISTA SUBJECT: SHADE TREE POLICY POLICY EFFECTIVE NUMBER DATE PAGE 576-19 May 22, 2012 2 OF 2 ADOPTED BY: Resolution No. ~:~~XXXX DATED: 1-3-12 AMENDED BY: Street Trees 2. Street trees shall be appropriate to the space available for planting them, as determined by the City of Chula Vista Arborist, to encourage growth of a large canopy. The objective shall be to maximize shade cover acknowledging the competing space requirements for utilities, site lines, drives ways, visibility functions, accessibility or other street design functions in those corridors and providing light colored "cool" paving if the use of shade trees is limited due to the abovementioned reasons. 3. The Director of Public Works, or designee with responsibility for public street trees, shall develop the GIS inventory of street trees to propose thematic corridors of shade trees pursuant to Municipal Code 12.32.180. Fxistin 'rees ~ 4. The canopy of substantial healthy existing trees retained and integrated into the proposed design shall be credited 150% of the anticipated shade coverage of a new .tree in the same location. All A reas 5. Waiver of policy -The Public Works Director & Director of Development Services may waive the shade tree requirement for a project upon a finding by both Directors of infeasibility and if alternate elements are proposed such as light colored ("cool") paving, shade structures or other alternative means of compliance on the site to the satisfaction of the above Directors. 6. Nothing in this policy shall limit the tree requirements set forth in the Municipal Code, the City of Chula Vista Landscape Manual, and the ANSI 300 Guidelines. 11-5 RESOLUTION RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA TO ADOPT COUNCIL POLICY NUMBER 576- 19, "SHADE TREE POLICY" WHEREAS, in 2008 the City of Chula Vista approved a "Climate Action Plan" containing 7 strategies aimed at reducing the effects of climate change; and WHEREAS, in 2011 this plan was amended to include 11 additional strategies including a Shade Tree Policy; and WHEREAS, a working group was set up to create a Shade Tree Policy and was comprised of community stakeholders as well as City staff; and WHEREAS, the Policy developed addresses the issue of heat islands and the impact of shade tree plantings in reducing the heat island affect; and WHEREAS, the Resource Conservation Commission approved the drafr Shade Tree Policy on January 9~', 2012; and WHEREAS, the Development Services Director has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the action qualifies for a Class 8 categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15308 (Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment) of the State CEQA Guidelines because, the contemplated action proposes adoption of climate protection policies and programs designed to reduce harmful greenhouse gas or "carbon" emissions and their associated impacts. Thus, no further environmental review is necessary. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Chula Vista adopts Council Policy No. 576-19, in the form presented to the City Council, the Shade Tree Policy, a copy of which is on file in the office of the City Clerk. Presented By: Approved as to form by: Gary Halbert, PE, AICP Assistant City Manager/ Director of Development Services ~~ ~~; _Gle . Go' gi ~~Ci Attorney 11-6