To: Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
Stop Oak Tree Over Regulation in LA County
We ask that the LA County Board of Supervisors on August 26, 2014:
1. Reject the new proposal 22.44.950.B1 that oak trees over 6" diameter be subject to a $1,086 - $8,724 fee for significant trimming or removal. The current trigger is 8" diameter and should not be changed to 6".
2. Consider correcting other aspects of the current oak tree over-regulation. For example, consider measures to: reduce fees and create more of a sliding scale, require expensive reports less often, reduce high replacement ratios and provide exemptions for basic property maintenance projects.
1. Reject the new proposal 22.44.950.B1 that oak trees over 6" diameter be subject to a $1,086 - $8,724 fee for significant trimming or removal. The current trigger is 8" diameter and should not be changed to 6".
2. Consider correcting other aspects of the current oak tree over-regulation. For example, consider measures to: reduce fees and create more of a sliding scale, require expensive reports less often, reduce high replacement ratios and provide exemptions for basic property maintenance projects.
Why is this important?
Many LA County property owners cannot afford the new high costs of maintenance projects near oak trees imposed by LA County regulations. An example of over-regulation is new provisions in proposed Ordinance 22.44.950.B.1 in the Santa Monica Mountains Local Implementation Program. Many property owners are now viewing smaller oak trees as a liability they cannot afford because the trees will someday reach the size where $1,086 - $8,724 fees are triggered. On August 26th, the County Board of Supervisors will vote on whether to make 6" diameter oak trees subject to these fees. That's right, it could cost $1,086+ to trim a 6" oak tree under these new proposed regulations! It's time to ask LA County to stop over-regulation so that oak trees can flourish.
Please sign this petition to support oak trees by stopping their over-regulation. You can also directly email your own comments to the County Board of Supervisors at: [email protected]
For more information, see:
August 26th, 2014 Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Hearing Notice:
http://planning.lacounty.gov/assets/upl/project/coastal_bos-hearing-notice.pdf
Oak Tree Permit Information:
http://planning.lacounty.gov/apps
LA County Fee Schedule, Item 40:
http://planning.lacounty.gov/assets/upl/general/fee_20140301.pdf
Draft Proposed Revised Oak Ordinance page 112 to change diameter trigger from 8" to 6" (22.44.950.B.1):
http://planning.lacounty.gov/assets/upl/project/coastal_bos-lip.pdf
Proposed Land Use Plan See CO-99 and CO-100, pages 46-47:
http://planning.lacounty.gov/assets/upl/project/coastal_bos-lup.pdf
Important Note: The April 2014 LA County Board of Supervisors version of the proposed ordinance did NOT include this revision to regulate 6" oaks for all development in 22.44.950.B.1. This is because the ordinance is meant to implement proposed Land Use Plan CO-99 and CO-100 (see 22.44.1920.K). Both CO-99 and CO-100 pertain to "new" development only and 22.44.1920.K implements this. The Coastal Commission, in a late June 2014 publication, revised 22.44.950.B.1 as well. This was a MISTAKE because 22.44.950.B.1 pertains to both new projects AND existing development maintenance projects - this is a MISTAKE and it is not supported by the proposed Land Use Plan. This mistake needs to be called out by and corrected by the LA County Board of Supervisors.
Please sign this petition to support oak trees by stopping their over-regulation. You can also directly email your own comments to the County Board of Supervisors at: [email protected]
For more information, see:
August 26th, 2014 Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Hearing Notice:
http://planning.lacounty.gov/assets/upl/project/coastal_bos-hearing-notice.pdf
Oak Tree Permit Information:
http://planning.lacounty.gov/apps
LA County Fee Schedule, Item 40:
http://planning.lacounty.gov/assets/upl/general/fee_20140301.pdf
Draft Proposed Revised Oak Ordinance page 112 to change diameter trigger from 8" to 6" (22.44.950.B.1):
http://planning.lacounty.gov/assets/upl/project/coastal_bos-lip.pdf
Proposed Land Use Plan See CO-99 and CO-100, pages 46-47:
http://planning.lacounty.gov/assets/upl/project/coastal_bos-lup.pdf
Important Note: The April 2014 LA County Board of Supervisors version of the proposed ordinance did NOT include this revision to regulate 6" oaks for all development in 22.44.950.B.1. This is because the ordinance is meant to implement proposed Land Use Plan CO-99 and CO-100 (see 22.44.1920.K). Both CO-99 and CO-100 pertain to "new" development only and 22.44.1920.K implements this. The Coastal Commission, in a late June 2014 publication, revised 22.44.950.B.1 as well. This was a MISTAKE because 22.44.950.B.1 pertains to both new projects AND existing development maintenance projects - this is a MISTAKE and it is not supported by the proposed Land Use Plan. This mistake needs to be called out by and corrected by the LA County Board of Supervisors.