Tallahassee Tree protection and removal standards

This rule establishes tree protection and removal standards for the city. (a)Official trees. The live oak (Quercus virginiana) shall be the official shade tree, and the dogwood (Cornus Florida) shall be the official flowering tree, of the city.(b)Applicability. The following requirements shall apply to all new development and redevelopment in the city except as provided in F.S. § 163.045 and specified in subsection (c) below. Information required by this section shall be provided as part of the environmental management permit application.(c)Exemptions. Tree removal under one or more of the following circumstances shall not require a permit and replanting/debits shall not be required:(1)Nursery trees. The removal of any tree planted and grown in the ordinary course of business of a lawful plant or tree nursery;(2)Emergency situation. The removal of any tree during or following an emergency or an act of nature, when the director determines that permitting . . . (q)Multi-Modal Transportation District (MMTD) street trees. Street trees are trees provided in the Multi-Modal Transportation District, as per chapter 10, article IV, division 4, along public rights-of-way that are appropriately sized, scaled and placed to accomplish the goals of buffering pedestrians from roadway traffic, adding and contributing to the natural landscape and green space, providing an aesthetic view-scape from the buildings and roadway, providing shade to sidewalks and walkways to facilitate pedestrian usage, and complementing the scale of the development and its surroundings. Street trees are not intended to contribute to agricultural production or to provide a food source for species habitat as fruiting and masting species shall be avoided for most urban settings. Street trees may be used for credits in the establishment of the green space and landscaping requirements. As defined and identified herein street trees shall not be required to be part of conservation or preservation areas, but shall fulfill generally the objectives identified above furthering the tenets of the MMTD.