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<br />informally recommended that ash species not be used in required landscape plans requiring <br />review and approval as part of a development application. More recently, ash trees have been <br />formally added to the list of prohibited trees, and can no longer be used to meet tree mitigation or <br />landscaping requirements for new development. <br /> <br />The City does not currently have a list of trees that are expressly prohibited to be planted in the <br />City, other than for landscape plans and tree mitigation requirements that are part of a <br />development application, and this would not change. This amendment, however, would grant <br />the City Forester greater discretion to inspect, identify, and require the removal of infected ash <br />trees. This ordinance amendment would add ash trees to the list of protected shade trees. <br />Current protected shade trees include Oak and Elm trees. The ordinance allows the City forester <br />to require the removal and proper disposal of those trees infected with Oak Wilt and Dutch Elm <br />Disease. If a property owner does not remove the diseased tree within a reasonable time frame <br />the City may abate the tree and assess the cost to the property owner. While the ordinance <br />presently grants wide discretion to the City forester to require the removal and disposal of any <br />diseased and dying tree, the proposed amendment would more clearly allow the City to require <br />the removal of ash trees that have been infected with the Emerald Ash Borer. <br /> <br />Recommendation <br /> <br />Staffrecommends approval of Ordinance 2009-009 in Planning Case 09-013 to amend Section <br />710 of the City Code, entitled Trees and Vegetation, to add ash trees to the list of protected shade <br />trees and regulate the removal of diseased ash trees as presented in the June 29, 2009, report to <br />the City Council, and approval of publishing a summary of Ordinance 2009-009 <br /> <br />The ordinance changes require a 3/5 vote and the publication summaries require a 4/5 vote. <br /> <br />Options <br /> <br />1. Approve the proposal as submitted. <br />2. Approve the proposal with changes. <br />3. Deny the proposal. <br />4. Table for additional information. <br /> <br />Attachments <br /> <br />A - Ordinance 2009-009 <br />B - Summary of Ordinance 2009-009 for Publishing <br /> <br />Metro-inet\ardenhills\Admin\CounciIIAgendas & Packet Information 12009\06-29-09 - Regular Meeting - Ash Tree <br />Ordinance <br /> <br />Page 2 of2 <br />