[Ord. No. 2021-1953A, 7-20-2021]
A. 
No person shall remove, injure, damage, or cause the death of: (i) a healthy, living grand tree, or (ii) trees having a caliper of three (3) inches or more within a woodland area; or (iii) twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the trees on any lot, without first securing a permit from the City of Frontenac. Removal of trees that have been determined to be diseased or hazardous by an ISA certified arborist shall be exempt from this requirement.
B. 
Tree replacement is required when: (i) a grand tree is removed; or (ii) twenty-five percent (25%) of the trees on a lot are proposed to be removed; or (iii) when twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the area or twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the number of trees in any woodland area is proposed to be cleared of existing trees. If twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the trees on a lot or twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the area of or number of trees in a woodland are removed, any tree scheduled for removal having a caliper of six (6) inches or more shall be replaced.
C. 
Replacement trees shall meet the following minimums:
1. 
Each grand tree shall be replaced on the lot by planting two (2) canopy trees each of which is a minimum of two (2) caliper inches at the time of planting or two (2) evergreen trees each of which is a minimum of six (6) feet at the time of planting, or a combination of canopy and evergreen trees of the same minimum dimensions.
2. 
Each tree scheduled for removal from a lot or woodland requiring replacement pursuant to Subsection (B), above, shall be replaced on the same lot by planting and thereafter maintaining canopy, small deciduous, flowering or evergreen trees as follows (provided that at least half of the replacement trees should be canopy trees from the City's recommended tree list):
a. 
Two (2) canopy trees each having a minimum two-inch caliper at the time of planting on site;
b. 
Three (3) deciduous trees each having a minimum two-inch caliper at the tie of planting on site;
c. 
One (1) flowering tree of a single stem species or variety having a minimum one and five-tenths (1.5) inch caliper at the time of planting on site; or one (1) flowering tree of a multi-stem species or variety having a minimum one and five-tenths (1.5) inch caliper at the time of planting on site; or one (1) flowering tree of a clump species or variety having a minimum eight (8) feet height at the time of planting on site; or
D. 
One (1) evergreen tree having a minimum of six (6) feet height at the time of planting on site, except for replacement trees situated as screening of garage doors, mechanical equipment, and reestablishment of privacy, where evergreens with a height to provide year-round screening are required. After issuance of the tree removal permit, the permit must be displayed at the property during the tree removal process and shall not be removed until completion of the work.
E. 
Any trees which have been removed from a site within twelve (12) months prior to application for a demolition, grading or building permit (to the extent that such building permit applies to new construction activity) or other land use approval shall be deemed to have been removed for purposes covered by this Chapter and shall be subject to all replanting and restoration requirements contained herein.
[Ord. No. 2021-1953A, 7-20-2021]
A. 
A tree protection plan, tree chart, and tree survey are required to be submitted to the City of Frontenac for review of all projects subject to Architectural Review Board approval if the project includes tree removal. The documentation of trees on site shall include the following:
1. 
Tree chart keyed to a tree survey of all the trees on the site over six (6) inches caliper. The chart must include genus, species, size, and condition, as defined herein.
2. 
Identification of woodlands, as defined herein, on the lot, including total acres/square feet, total number of trees in the woodland, total number of trees in the woodland with a caliper equal to or greater than three (3) inches, number of trees to be removed, and percentage of tree removal in the woodland measured in acres/square feet.
3. 
The overall tree removal percentage for the entire lot measured in number of trees and acres/square feet.
4. 
Tree survey, to include an accurate designation of location of each tree on a civil survey.
5. 
Illustration of the drip line and critical root zone of all existing trees.
6. 
Designation of tree status: to be removed or saved.
7. 
Purpose or reason for removal: dead/dying, poor condition, in the improvement footprint, etc.
8. 
Indicated grand trees on the tree chart and survey.
9. 
Narrative explanation of why a grand tree cannot be preserved if it is shown to be removed.
10. 
List of trees to be used as replacement trees, with size of trees at the time of planting and enough information to indicate that the replacement requirement is met.
[Ord. No. 2021-1953A, 7-20-2021]
A. 
The application for a tree removal permit when removal is not associated with activity for which Architectural Review Board approval is required must be filed with the Building Official and shall include the following information:
1. 
Address of the lot.
2. 
Number of total acres of the lot.
3. 
Name of person making application.
4. 
Interest of applicant in the subject property.
5. 
Name of the fee owner, if not the applicant.
6. 
Number of trees to be removed.
7. 
The location of trees to be removed and the location of the trees remaining.
8. 
Area of woodland on the lot in acres/square feet; area in acres/square feet of woodland within which any trees are to be removed; percentage of area of the woodland within which any tree removal is to take place; number, type (canopy, evergreen, flowering, etc.) and size of trees in the woodland having three-inch caliper or more; the number, type and size of any trees in the woodland to be removed, and the percentage of trees in the woodland to be removed.
9. 
Purpose of removal.
10. 
The location of any replacement trees to be planted, with a statement of the number and type.
11. 
Label all grand trees on the plan.
12. 
Narrative explanation of why a grand tree cannot be preserved if it is shown to be removed.
[Ord. No. 2021-1953A, 7-20-2021]
A. 
A completed application for a permit required by this Chapter shall be submitted to the Building Department staff, who shall have the Architectural Review Board review the tree removal application for compliance with the tree removal requirements.
B. 
The permit shall not be issued if it is determined by the Architectural Review Board that the tree or woodland removal will: (i) substantially increase stormwater drainage on other lots; or (ii) substantially decrease the quality of a visual or physical buffer which exists on the subject lot and serves to protect the privacy or peaceful enjoyment of other lots; or (iii) if tree removal would take place in a required stream buffer, or (iv) if removal would substantially and adversely affect the character of the surrounding neighborhood so as to be reasonably likely to reduce the value of surrounding properties.
C. 
If a tree removal permit is issued it shall also specify the number, type and size of any required replacement trees to be planted pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter.
D. 
Planting of trees required shall be guaranteed by an escrow deposit approved by the City in an amount adequate to ensure completion of the work, including re-plantings.
E. 
If a permit is not issued, the reasons for the denial shall be stated in writing and a copy sent to the applicant.
F. 
When no appropriate tree locations are available for all required plantings on the subject lot, a payment of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) per replacement caliper inch may be paid to the City's Community Beautification Fund. This option may reduce the required number of trees required on a lot by no more than twenty-five percent (25%).
G. 
Any party aggrieved by the decision of the Architectural Review Board shall have the right to appeal such decision by filing a notice of appeal with the Board of Adjustment within thirty (30) days of the decision.
[Ord. No. 2021-1953A, 7-20-2021]
A. 
The requirements of this Article shall not apply to removal of tree(s) with less than a six-inch caliper in a non-woodland area or removal of a tree with less than a three-inch caliper in a woodland area, as long as such removal does not constitute the removal of twenty-five percent (25%) or more of trees on the lot or within the woodland area.
B. 
Tree removal shall be considered cumulative when successive tree removal applications are submitted to the City for review.
[Ord. No. 2021-1953A, 7-20-2021]
For all permits requiring tree replacement, the Building Official will inspect the property prior to the final approval of the permitted work and release of the deposit, if any.
[Ord. No. 2021-1953A, 7-20-2021]
All contractors performing tree removal in the City of Frontenac shall be licensed through the City in accordance with Title VI of this Code of Ordinances. Licensed contractors must be able to provide proof of license at all times while performing work within the City of Frontenac.