18.100.020 Definitions | Talent Municipal Code

18.100.020 Definitions.

“Arborist” means a person who has met the criteria for certification from the International Society of Arboriculture or American Society of Consulting Arborists, and maintains his or her accreditation.

“Commercial wood lot” means parcels or lots which meet the following criteria on the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter:

1. The site is at least two acres in size.

2. Trees have been actively managed and maintained on the subject property for the purpose of harvesting.

3. The owner has supplied the city with proof that the property has been in tax-deferred status under state law provisions such as forest land deferral or small woodlands deferral for a minimum of five consecutive years immediately prior to application.

“Community development director” means the city of Talent community development director, or his/her designee.

“Critical root zone” or “CRZ” means a circular area determined by either of the following methods. The method used shall be indicated on the plans.

1. Method A. A circular area equal to one foot in radius for every inch of tree diameter at breast height measured from the outside trunk of the tree at four and one-half feet above ground level; or

2. Method B. An area determined for an individual tree to be the necessary root area for the tree’s continued normal growth as demonstrated in a written report by a certified arborist and based on documented field investigations. Reasonable alteration of the shape based on factors such as existing infrastructures, tree lean or steep slopes may be considered.

“Dead” means the tree is obviously lifeless without any live leaves, needles or buds.

“Diameter at breast height” or “dbh” means the diameter of the tree measured in inches at four and one-half feet above ground level. For trees with multiple trunks, dbh shall be measured at the narrowest point between ground level and the point where the trunk diverges, or shall be the sum of the diameters of the two largest trunks at breast height, whichever is smaller. All measurements shall be rounded to the nearest inch.

“Dying” means the tree is in an advanced state of decline because it is diseased, infested by insects or rotting and cannot be saved by reasonable treatment or pruning, or must be removed to prevent spread of the infestation or disease to other trees.

“Hazardous tree” means the condition or location of the tree presents a clear public safety hazard or a foreseeable danger of property damage to an existing structure and such hazard or danger cannot reasonably be alleviated by treatment or pruning.

“Heritage tree” means any deciduous tree 28 inches in diameter or larger or any conifer tree 32 inches or larger which is not a hazardous tree as defined above. Exception: Japanese maple and dogwood trees with a diameter greater than eight inches are considered heritage. Deciduous and conifer trees may include but are not limited to the following:

Deciduous

Black, White, Red and Burr Oak

Beech

Sycamore or Planetree

Zelcova

Maple

Ash

Dogwood

Madrone

Conifer

Douglas Fir

Redwood

Blue Atlas Cedar

Bald Cypress

Monterey Cypress

Ponderosa Pine

Sequoia

Deodar Cedar

Incense Cedar

“Impacted tree” means a significant tree whose critical root zone will be impacted by proposed development. Impacts include, but are not limited to, fill, cuts, soil compaction, paving, placement of structures, stockpiling of soil, utility trenching and other activities that may impact the health and viability of the tree.

“Public tree” means a tree or woody plant with its base located within or adjacent to a public right-of-way or any tree or woody plant within a city park, or other publicly owned property. Public trees include trees within existing planting strips or sidewalk tree wells. Public trees typically have a single trunk at least two inches in diameter at a point six inches above the mean ground level at the base of the trunk.

“Remove” means:

1. To cut down a tree, or to damage a tree so as to cause the tree to decline and/or die within a three-year period. Types of damage which may constitute removal include but are not limited to topping, damage inflicted upon a root system by application of toxic substances, and girdling. “Removal” does not include normal trimming or pruning of trees as defined by ANSI A300 pruning standards current on the day this definition was adopted.

2. To perform activities which result in impacts to more than 30 percent of the critical root zone if the CRZ is determined by Method A in the definition of “critical root zone” in this section.

3. To perform activities which impact any of the CRZ if determined using Method B in the definition of “critical root zone” in this section.

“Significant tree” means any deciduous tree 15 inches in diameter or larger or any conifer tree 18 inches or larger which is not a hazardous tree as defined above. Exception: Japanese maple and dogwood trees with a diameter greater than one inch are considered significant. Deciduous and conifer trees may include but are not limited to the following: