The Seattle City Council voted on February 23, 2009, to approve interim tree protection legislation to limit tree removal on properties not subject to development. This legislation will be effective 30 days after the Mayor’s signature. Council Bill 116404 established the following limits on tree removal, except when associated with a development permit or when the tree is found to be a hazard:

• Exceptional trees: Exceptional trees may not be removed on single-family-zoned lots of 5,000 square feet or more and on all lowrise-, midrise-, and commercial-zoned lots.
• Non-exceptional trees 6 inches in diameter or greater: No more than three non-exceptional trees 6 inches in diameter or greater may be removed within any 12 month period on single-family-zoned lots of 5,000 square feet or more and on all lowrise-, midrise-, and commercial-zoned lots.
• Non-exceptional trees less than 6 inches in diameter: No new requirements.

Tree removal associated with a development permit will continue to be reviewed under existing regulations in the tree protection ordinance; however, additions will no longer be exempted. Hazard trees may be removed through the Hazard Tree Removal Application process outlined in CAM 331B. The interim tree protection legislation also makes minor changes to the notice of violation process to make it more consistent with the process used for other City code violations. The structure for fines has been modified to allow triple damages where tree removal is willful or malicious.

Updates to Director’s Rule (DR) 6-2001, draft DR 16-2008, defining the term “exceptional tree,” are being finalized and are anticipated to become effective at the same time the interim tree protection legislation goes into effect in late March or early April. The purpose of these updates is to redefine the term “exceptional tree” to include more individual trees with significant canopy, as well as groves of trees.

Information on the interim tree protection legislation approved by the Council can be found at: www.seattle.gov/council/conlin/.

Information on further efforts the City is undertaking to protect trees is posted at www.seattle.gov/dpd/planning/trees. The draft rule DR 16-2008 can be downloaded from that website.