Item 473/2024
Final
City of Garden Grove
INTER-DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM
To:
Lisa L. Kim From: Omar Sandoval
Dept:
City Manager Dept: City Attorney
Date: 11/12/2024
Subject: Introduction and First Reading of an Ordinance amending provisions of Chapter
11.32 of the Garden Grove Municipal Code pertaining to the removal and replacement of City trees, entitled:
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GARDEN GROVE AMENDING PROVISIONS OF CHAPTER 11.32 OF TITLE 11 OF THE GARDEN
GROVE MUNICIPAL CODE PERTAINING TO THE REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF CITY TREES. (Action Item)
OBJECTIVE
For the City Council to introduce and pass to second reading an ordinance amending provisions of Chapter 11.32 of the Garden Grove Municipal Code pertaining to the removal and replacement of City trees.
BACKGROUND
The City’s existing tree ordinance permits the removal and replacement of City trees deemed undesirable by property owners pursuant to a resident petition process where a majority of neighbors consent to the removal and replacement application. Council Me mber Brietigam proposed that the ordinance be revised to promote the replacement of trees that are not on the City’s list of acceptable trees given that non-listed trees can cause liability and problems when they fall during rain or wind events, lift sidew alks, or break sewer lines among other problems.
DISCUSSION
The proposed Ordinance revises various sections of Chapter 11.32 of the Garden Grove Municipal Code pertaining to the application by property owners to remove City trees on or adjacent to their properties. The revisions remove the requirement for majority neighbor consent and will generally require that property owners wishing to remove City trees on or near their properties agree to replace the tree(s) or pay a fee to enable the City to replace the tree(s) elsewhere in the City.
Item 473/2024
Applications for removal and replacement of City trees will be reviewed and approved by the City Manager or designee in the case of one tree and the Planning Commission in the case of more than one tree. Decisions of the City Manager or designee will be appealable to the Administrative Board of Appeals while decisions of the Planning Commission will be final. The fine for failing to replace a tree is increased from $50 to $250 for each tree not planted.
A redlined copy of Chapter 11.32 showing the revisions is attached.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
None.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council:
Introduce and conduct the first reading of the Ordinance amending provisions of Chapter 11.32 pertaining to the removal and replacement of City trees and pass it to second reading.
ATTACHMENT(S)
1. Ordinance
2. Chapter 11.32 redlined to show revisions made by the ordinance