_Add-on item a)printAdd-On Item a)
Sponsored by:Vice Mayor Harris
Commission Meeting 01-06-15
1 ORDINANCE NO.
2
3 An Ordinance amending the Land Development Code,Section 20-4.5 B(46)
4 titled Specimen Trees to delete the exception for fruit trees from the
5 definition of a specimen tree.
6
7 WHEREAS,there are many largefruittreesintheCity of South Miami that theCityand
8its citizens wish to preserve;and
9
10 WHEREAS,the Mayor andCity Commissioners desire to provide fruit trees with the
11 same protection as other trees of thesamesizeandthatmeetthe criteria fora specimen tree.
12
13
14 NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
15 COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI,FLORIDA:
16
17 Section 1.Section 20-4.5B(46)titled Specimen Treesis hereby amended tostateas
18 follow:
19
2046)Specimen Tree:AtreewithaDBHof 18 inchesor greater.DadeCountyPinesof
21 DBHexceeding12"or Cabbage Palmswithtrunksgreaterthan6feet.The following
22types of treesthatmeetthesecriteriashallnotbeconsideredspecimentrees:
23(a)Non-native species of thegenusFicus;
24(b)All multi-trunk treesinthepalm family,except the Paurotis palm (Accelorrhaphe
25wrightii).(c)Allnuisanceplantspecies.
26(d)Prohibited plant species.
27 (o)Non native fruit treesthat are cultivated or grown for the specific purpose of
28 producing edible fruit,including,butnot limited to,mangoes,avocados,or species of
29 eifeus
30
31 Section2.Codification.Theprovisionsofthisordinanceshallbecomeandbemade
32partofthe Code of Ordinances ofthe City of South Miami as amended;thatthe sections ofthis
33 ordinance maybe renumbered or re-lettered to accomplish such intention;andthattheword
34 "ordinance"maybechangedto "section"orother appropriate word.
35
36 Section3.Severability.Ifanysection,clause,sentence,orphrase of thisordinanceis
37foranyreasonheldinvalidor unconstitutional byacourtofcompetentjurisdiction,thisholding
38shallnot affect the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance.
39
40 Section 4.Ordinances in Conflict.Allordinancesorparts of ordinances andall
41sectionsandparts of sections of ordinancesindirectconflictherewithareherebyrepealed.
42However,itisnottheintent of thissectiontorepealentire ordinances,orparts of ordinances,
43thatgivetheappearance of beinginconflictwhenthetwoordinancescanbeharmonizedor
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Add-On Itema)
Sponsored by:Vice MayorHarris
Commission Meeting 01 -06-15
1whenonlyaportion of theordinanceinconflictneedstoberepealedtoharmonizethe
2 ordinances.If theordinanceinconflictcanbe harmonized byamendingitsterms,itishereby
3amendedtoharmonizethetwo ordinances.Therefore,onlythatportionthatneedstoberepealed
4toharmonizethetwoordinancesshallberepealed.
5
6Section5.EffectiveDate.Thisordinanceshallbecome effective upon enactment.
7
8PASSEDANDENACTEDthisday of ,2015.
9
10 ATTEST:APPROVED:
11
12
13 CITY CLERK MAYOR
141st Reading
15 2nd Reading
16
17 READ AND APPROVED AS TO FORM:COMMISSION VOTE:
18 LANGUAGE,LEGALITY AND Mayor Stoddard:
19 EXECUTION THEREOF Vice Mayor Harris:
20 Commissioner Edmond:
21 Commissioner Liebman:
22 Commissioner Welsh:
23 CITY ATTORNEY
24
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Ord.No.29-14-2207
(31)Nuisance Plant Species:Any tree or shrub orpart thereof growing upon private orpublic property
which is determined by the Cityto endanger the health,safety and/or general welfare of the City
and/or its residents and/or its business owners,operators or customers.
(32)Person:Anyindividual,legal entity orany association of individuals and/or legal entities.
(33)Prohibited Plant Species:Those plant species that are detrimental to native plants,native wildlife,
ecosystems,or to human health and/or safety and welfare aswellas those species that arelisted
as prohibited species in the Miami-Dade County Landscape Manual.Also referring to trees that
are exempt from the general tree protection requirements of this section 20-4.5 and 20-4.5.1.
(34)Protected Tree:A tree with a minimum caliper of one and one half inches in diameter aslistedin
the Miami-Dade County Landscape Manual as amended.
(35)Protective Barrier:Protective barrier shall mean a temporary fence or structure built to restrict
passage into anarea surrounding a tree or stand of trees for the purpose of preventing any
disturbance to the roots,trunk,or branches of the tree(s).
(36)Pruning/Trimming:Theremoving of plantparts,deadoralive,ina manner soasnottodamage
other parts of the plant.The selective cutting of tree/plant parts to encourage new growth or
better flowering;to remove old stems or deadwood;orto shape trees according to ANSIA300
Standards.
(37)Public Area:IncludesallPublicright of ways,parksand other lands owned orleasedby the City.
(38)PublicRight of Way:Includesallpublic streets,roads,boulevards,alleysandsidewalks.
(39)Roots/RootSystems:Thepartsofthetreecontainingtheorgans that extractwater,gasesand
nutrients from the soil.
(40)Shade Tree:Any tree which,when mature,hasa crown width that isat least two-thirds of the
tree's height.
(41)Site Plan:Acomprehensive plan drawntoscale indicating landelevations,public rightsofway
includingroadways,and the locationof all relevantexistingandproposedsite improvements
includingstructures,parking,other pavedareas,ingressandegressdrives,landscapedopenspace
and signage.
(42)Small Tree:Atreewithaheightof25feetorsmallerwhenfullymature,andwithamature
canopy smaller than 15 feet.
(43)Sound Nursery Practices:The various procedures involved in landscape nurseryworkthatarein
compliance with the Florida Department of Agricultureand Consumer Services standards.
(44)Spread:Thegreatest horizontal dimensionofthebranchesand foliage ofatree.
(45)Stem:The primary trunkwhichisthe main upward axis ofatreethatsupports branches and
leavesabovetheground,servingtosupportthetreeandtotransportandstorewaterand
nutrients.
(46)Specimen Tree:Atreewitha DBH of18 inches or greater.Dade County Pines of DBH exceeding
12"or Cabbage Palms withtrunksgreaterthan6feet.The following typesoftreesthat meet
these criteriashall not be considered specimen trees:
(a)Non-native species of the genus Ficus.;
(b)All multi-trunk treesinthe palm family,exceptthe Paurotis palm (Accelorrhaphe wrightii)
(c)All nuisance plant species.
Ord.No.29-14-2207
(d)Prohibited plant species.
(e)Non-native fruit trees that are cultivated or grown for the specific purpose of producing edible
fruit,including,but not limited to,mangoes,avocados,or species of citrus
(47)Temporary Shade Tree:A tree ina landscape plan planted to provide temporary shade until
adjacent trees reach maturity may be designated asa "temporary shade tree",and may be
trimmed back or removed at such time as the surrounding trees require additional access to
sunlight.
(48)Topping:The flat cutting of the top ofa tree,severing the main leader or supporting leaders,and
or a process to flat-cut the top ofa tree or to remove more than one-third of the tree crown.
(49)Tree:Any self-supporting perennial woody plant that,at full maturity,hasa DBH of six or more
inches with a minimum fully mature height of 12 feet above grade.
(50)Tree Abuse:Tree abuse shall include:
(a)Damageinflicteduponany part ofa tree,including the root system,bymachinery,
construction equipment,cambium layer penetration,storage of materials,soil compaction,
excavation,chemical application orspillage or change to the natural grade,or any intentional
action or neglect significantly damaging the tree;or
(b)Hat-racking;or
(c)Girdling or bark removal of the trunk;or
(d)Tearsandsplittingoflimb ends orpeelingandstrippingofbarkresultingfrom improper
pruning techniques not in accordance with the current ANSI A300 Standards;or
(e)Excessive root cutting;or
(f)Damageinflictedtoor cutting upona tree which permits infection or pest infestation;or
(g)Cuttinguponany tree whichsignificantly destroys its natural shape;or
(h)Useofclimbing spikes;or
(i)Any pruning that is contrary to the practices established by the NationalArboristAssociation;or
(j)Any act that would cause a tree to become nonviable.
(51)Tree Rempval:Directly orindirectlycuttingdown,poisoning,destroying,removing,oreffectively
destroying (through damaging,trimming,authorizingorallowing cutting down,destroying,or
removing)any tree.
(52)Tree Relocation:Movingan established tree from one location to another ina manner that
assures long-term viability.
(53)TreePermit:Thecitypermitrequiredfortreeremoval,relocation,trimmingorpruningofan
existing tree.
(54)Treeserviceorarborist:Any person,company,corporationorservice,which,forcompensation,
performs tree maintenance and protection.
C.Elements of Compliance.
(1)All propertywithinthecity shall besubjecttothe following regulationsexceptas specifically
exempted.Noparcelwithin the citymaybecleared,grubbed,filledorexcavated,norshallany
building bedemolished,alteredorreconstructedinamannerwhich negatively impactsregulated
trees,changesthesiteplan,siteuseorincreasestheimpervioussurfaceareaexceptin
compliance withthis section 20-4.5andsection20-4.5.1.Requirements of these sections and
Section20-3.5donot exempt property ownersfromcompliancewithany other sectionofthe
City's CodeofOrdinanceand Land Development Code.However,the City shallbeexemptfrom