DEPARTMENT: Development Services
SUBJECT:
Tree Preservation Variance from UDC 35-523 (f) & 35-523(h) for Westpointe East Units 22S & 22R
SUMMARY:
Request by Mr. Trey Dawson with Pape-Dawson Engineers on behalf of WPE Ventures, LLC, for the Westpointe East Units 22S & 22R for approval of a variance request from the Unified Development Code 35-523(f) Table 523-1A states that, "up to 80% of significant and heritage trees may be mitigated rather than preserved" and 35-523 (h), "significant trees shall be preserved at eighty (80) percent within both the 100-year floodplains and environmentally sensitive areas." Mitigation for Westpointe East Units 22S & 22R, will be met by planting a total of 1060 inches of trees on 106 residential lots.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Council District: ETJ
Tract Size: 106 Residential lots
Staff Coordinator: Mark C Bird, City Arborist, (210) 207-0278
ANALYSIS:
The Development Services Department (DSD) has reviewed the information presented in Mr. Trey Dawson's letter submitted April 23, 2015.
The proposed Westpointe East, Units 22R and 22S are two single-family residential subdivisions with a combined 106 lots within the Westpointe East MDP #010A-08 that require a large amount of fill to raise some of the residential lots out of the floodplain.
The Unified Development Code (UDC) - Article V, Section 35-523(f) Table 523-1A states that, "up to 80% of significant and heritage trees may be mitigated rather than preserved" and 35-523 (h), 100-Year Floodplain(s) and Environmentally Sensitive Areas states that, "significant trees shall be preserved at eighty (80) percent preservation within both the 100-year floodplains and environmentally sensitive areas." (2010 Tree Preservation Ordinance)
The applicant wishes to go below the minimum 80% preservation for significant trees in the Floodplain Buffer/ESA, and below 20% preservation of significant trees for the Westpointe East Units 22S and 22R Subdivision Project. DSD staff agrees with the applicant's request to go below the minimum preservation requirements for Floodplain Buffer/ESA and below significant tree preservation minimums for the following reasons:
1. Site Constraints: Due to existing site conditions that include a floodplain and floodplain buffer near residential lots a large amount of fill is required to raise some lots out of the floodplain. The result of placing select fill for residential lots will remove 77 inches of significant trees in the thirty (30) foot floodplain buffer. Preservation of significant trees on residential lots outside of the floodplain and floodplain buffer is 16.7% which will require a total of 396 inches of significant tree mitigation and a total of 531 inches of heritage tree mitigation (177x3).
2. Tree Preservation Mitigation Provided: To meet mitigation requirements for removing protected trees in excess of the minimum preservation percentages required by the UDC a total of 1060 inches of trees will be replanted. A combination of six (6) large species and four (4) small species trees will be planted on 106 residential lots. Furthermore, 100% of the significant inches removed in the floodplain buffer, a total of 77 inches, will be mitigated.
3. Tree Canopy Provided: The planting of mitigation trees and the required 2 trees per lot will exceed the minimum 38% tree canopy requirement for single family residential by 13.4% for an estimated 51.4% final tree canopy coverage.
Recommendation:
Approval of the environmental variance from UDC 35-523 (f) & (h) to allow for mitigation below 80% preservation of significant trees in the floodplain buffer and below 20% preservation of significant trees in non-ESA for the development of Westpointe East Units 22S & 22R.
Attachment(S):
1. Variance Request Application
2. Variance Request Analysis
3. Exhibit 1: Tree Preservation Plan