Standards | Approved Plans | Penalties

Standards
Architectural Review Committee Resolution 89-01 is a set of standards that must be followed during construction projects. To improve as much as possible the chance for long-term survival of all trees that are to be preserved, the ARC establishes the following minimum tree protection standards. These standards are required to be followed during construction. They apply to all trees shown on approved plans as trees to be preserved.

1. All cut, fill and/or building foundations shall be located a minimum of 3.0 times the diameter of the tree away from the outside edge of the trunk of all trees scheduled for preservation. However, the minimum distance permitted shall be 6' - 0", away from the outside edge of the trunk for all trees of .a trunk diameter less than 2' - 0". The diameter of a tree shall be measured at 4', 6" above the surrounding grade [Diameter at Breast Height (DBH)].

2. All trees scheduled for preservation shall be temporarily fenced during construction. Fencing shall be installed prior to the issuance of building or grading permits. Generally, fencing shall be located at the edge of the root zone. The root zone is determined to be that area located out a distance 15 times the trunk diameter in all directions. At no time shall the fencing be located closer than 3' - 0" away from the outside edge of the trunk or further than 3' - 0" away from the approved building wall line, foundation, retaining wall, or grade cut, whichever provides the greater distance from the tree trunk. Fencing shall consist of chain link or plastic link fence. Fencing shall be rigidly supported and maintained during all construction periods at a minimum height of 4' - 0", above grade. Fenced areas shall not be used for material stockpile, storage or vehicle parking. Dumping of materials, chemicals, or garbage shall be prohibited within the fenced area. Fenced areas shall be maintained in a natural condition and not compacted. Removal of fencing shall only be approved by the City of Monterey Planning Division. All trees required to be fenced shall be clearly marked with a spot of paint. The marking is required to notify City inspectors that the subject tree or tree(s) are to be fenced at all times during construction.

3.  Prior to the start of construction, all Monterey Pine trees scheduled for preservation shall have the lower 8' - 0", sprayed with lindane, or sevin, or flowable sevin in light oil and then wrapped with plastic to reduce the potential for infestation by Red Turpentine Beetles. Unseasoned lumber or newly-cut pine trees give off a fragrance which attracts the beetles to the site. The plastic wrap and spray are used to control beetle attacks. Plastic wrap shall remain on the tree throughout the construction period.

4. Utility and drain lines shall be located outside the root zone of all trees scheduled for preservation. In cases where alternative routes are not available, utility conduit, pipe, wire and drain lines shall be tunneled under major roots. Major roots are determined to be those that exceed two (2) inches in diameter. In no case shall utility lines be permitted within six (6) feet of the trunk.

5. All approved construction work within the root zone of trees scheduled for preservation shall observe-the following minimum tree protection practices:

• Hand trenching at point or line of grade cuts closest to the trunk to expose major roots 2" in diameter or larger. In cases where rock or unusually dense soil prevents hand trenching, mechanical equipment may be approved by the Planning Division, provided that work inside the drip line is closely supervised by the applicant to prevent tearing or other damage to major roots.

• Exposed major roots shall be cut with a saw to form a smooth surface and avoid tears or jagged edges.

• Absorbent tarp or heavy cloth fabric shall be placed over new grade cuts where roots are exposed and secured by stakes. 2" to 4" of compost or woodchip mulch shall be spread over the tarp to prevent soil moisture loss. The tarp should be thoroughly wetted at least twice per week to insure constant moisture levels until backfilling occurs. In very dry climate conditions, additional watering may be required to maintain a constant moisture level. This program of watering shall be maintained through all phases of construction including delays and other periods of inactivity.>

• Decks located within the root zone of trees scheduled for preservation shall be of post and beam construction to eliminate any need for root pruning or removal.

• On-grade patios or paving that cover more than one-third of the feeder zone of pine trees or oak trees shall be constructed of permeable materials that allow aeration and water penetration. Patios and paving shall be combined with any other non-permeable surface or structure for purposes of calculating the one-third coverage standard. A maximum 80% compaction for permeable surfaces shall be allowed. The paving design shall specify this restriction.

• Planting beneath trees scheduled for preservation shall take into consideration watering requirements of the tree to prevent damage from over or under watering. Planting beneath native oak trees is of special concern and should be avoided. At a minimum, all new irrigation should be directed away from the trunks of oak trees. Installing lawn or other planting that requires frequent watering insures a slow death for oak trees due to their sensitivity to over watering and susceptibility to oak root fungus. Over-watering may also damage native pines.

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Approved Plans
To assure that all required tree protection standards are clearly communicated to the owners, principal contractor and all affected subcontractors, the Architectural Review Committee requires that the following information be included on the original working drawings and all subsequent copies:

1. Identification of all existing tree(s) 2" in diameter or. over, as measured at 4' - 6' above grade (DBH), that are approved for removal.

2. Identification of all existing tree(s) 2" in diameter or over at DBH that are scheduled for preservation. Clusters of smaller trees (trees between 2", and 10" in diameter) that share a contiguous drip line can be identified as a cluster with the drip line accurately shown.

3. Identification of size, location and species of all required replacement trees.

4. Identification and location of all utility lines and trenches.

5. Identification and location(s) of temporary fencing.

6. Identification of requirement for spraying and plastic covering of pine trees if applicable.

7. Listing of the minimum tree protection practices.

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Penalties
The tree protection standards included here, when imposed on a project, are required to be made a part of the construction documents. For this reason, violation of the standards constitutes a violation of the ARC approval, which can result in issuance of a citation. At a minimum, the Planning Division will not approve occupancy permits for projects that are not built in conformance with the approved construction documents.

In addition, all unauthorized tree removals will require resubmittal of the project plans to the Architectural Review Committee for review and approval and determination of appropriate replacement trees.

City of Monterey ARC Resolution 89-01, dated 11/29/89

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