AN ORDINANCE
NO. ________
An ordinance amending the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) for Columbus,
Georgia so as to amend Article 6 of Chapter 4 of the Unified Development
Ordinance of Columbus, Georgia pertaining to Tree Preservation and Replacement
to add a new paragraph F to Section 4.6.12 and add new definitions to Section
13.1.1 of the UDO; and for other purposes.
THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1.
Section 4.6.12 of the UDO is hereby amended by adding a new paragraph 4.6.12
(F) to read as follows:
?F. Removal of protected trees.
1. It shall be a violation of this Article for any person, organization,
society, association or corporation, or any agent or representative thereof,
directly or indirectly, to cut down, remove, damage or destroy, or shall
authorize the cutting down, removal, damage, or destruction of any protected
tree, as defined in Section 13.1.1 hereof, or shall commit any act or authorize
the commission of any act which physically removes a protected tree or causes a
tree to die, such as damage inflicted upon the root system by heavy machinery,
chemicals or paving, changing the natural grade above the root system and tree
damage permitting infection or pest infestation, unless such removal is
specifically permitted in accordance with paragraph (2) below.
2. Any Beautification Plan Tree or Public Protected Tree or Exceptional
Specimen Tree may only be cut with permission of the City Arborist or in the
event of his denial, the Tree Board. Any Beautification Plan Tree or Public
Tree which poses imminent danger to the public health, welfare or safety or any
tree that needs to be removed on an emergency basis to restore public utility
service may be removed with specific permission, authorization and approval
from either the City Arborist, the Public Works Director, City Manager, Deputy
City Manager, Mayor, Chief of Police or Chief of Fire & EMS.?
SECTION 2.
Chapter 13 of the Unified Development Ordinance is hereby amended by adding
four new definitions to read as follows:
?Protected Tree means a Beautification Plan Tree, a Public Protected Tree, or
an exceptional specimen tree.
Beautification Plan Tree is any tree or shrub planted in any one of the
following circumstances: (a) as part of the Columbus Georgia Beautification
Plan which was established by Resolution No. 576-08, as the same may be amended
by future Councils (b) in the State right of way pursuant to a DOT Special
Encroachment permit or with the permission of GDOT;(c) pursuant to a landscape
plan which is part of a streetscape beautification program approval by the
Columbus Consolidated Government and funded by governmental or private funding
or (d) any planting done by or with the permission or acquiescence of the
consolidated government on right of way of a city street or state highway.
Public Protected Tree means any tree located on lands owned by the consolidated
government, its authorities or other constituent units (?CCG entities?) or any
land upon which easements are imposed for the benefit of CCG entities, or upon
which other ownership control may be exerted by CCG entities including
rights-of-way, parks, public areas and easements for drainage, sewer, water and
other public utilities, with a DBH of six inches or more.
Exceptional Specimen Tree means any tree which upon application is determined
by the Tree Board to be a unique and intrinsic value to the general public
because of its size, age, historic association or ecological value or any tree
designated a Georgia State Champion, United States Champion or World Champion
by the American Forestry Association. The City Arborist shall keep a record of
all specimen trees so designated and their location.?
SECTION 3.
All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this ordinance are
hereby repealed.
________________________
Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia
held on the 12th day of March, 2019; introduced a second time at a regular
meeting of said Council held on the _____ day of ______________, 2019 and
adopted at said meeting by the affirmative vote of _____ members of said
Council.
Councilor Allen voting _______
Councilor Barnes voting _______
Councilor Crabb voting _______
Councilor Davis voting _______
Councilor Garrett voting _______
Councilor House voting _______
Councilor Huff voting _______
Councilor Pugh voting _______
Councilor Thomas voting _______
Councilor Woodson voting _______
_____________________________ _______________________________
Sandra T. Davis B.H. ?Skip? Henderson
Clerk of Council Mayor
Attachments
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