§ 5.01.03. Definitions.

ANSI means the American National Standards Institute.

Best management practices (BMP) means the best-available, industry-recognized courses of action, in consideration of the benefits and limitations, based on scientific research and current knowledge.

Buildable area means the portion of the site on which a structure or improvement may be erected.

Caliper means a nursery standard measurement of a tree's trunk diameter as measured at a predetermined point of measurement. Trunk caliper for trees up to four inches shall be measured six inches above the soil line. Trees greater than four inches in caliper shall be measured 12 inches above the soil line. Caliper measurements shall be used when measuring replacement trees.

Canopy means collective branches and foliage of a tree or group of trees' crowns. A canopy can be closed or partially closed as in a forest or woodland stand, or composed of both individual trees and closed canopy groups as in an urban forestry canopy.

Certified arborist means a professional who possesses the technical competence gained through experience, related training and professional certification to provide for or supervise the management of trees and other woody plants in residential, commercial, and public landscapes. These arborists must be licensed by the State of Florida and certified by the International Society of Arboriculture.

Crown means the upper part of tree, measured from the lowest branch, including all the branches and foliage.

Dead or beyond recovery means that more than 50 percent of the tree is dead, the tree is a hazardous tree as defined herein, or the tree is in a state of irrecoverable decline.

Deteriorated tree or deterioration means a tree, which is degenerated or damaged by a biological pathogen, or pest to the point of death of the tree is imminent.

Development means any land disturbing activities including but not limited to: building construction, paving, landscaping, and creation of drainage or water catchment areas, grading, earth filling, utility installation or any other activity which may adversely affect trees either above or below ground.

Diameter at breast height (DBH) means the diameter of a tree as measured four feet, six inches above the soil line, and when using the Guide for Plant Appraisal (9th Ed.) For multi-trunked trees the DBH shall mean the cumulative diameter of the two largest trunks. The Guide for Plant Appraisal (9th Ed.) or as amended will be the resource standard for measuring trees.

Drip line means a vertical line that runs from the outermost circumference of the tree branches and extends to the ground. For trees with canopies set off center, the drip line will be projected based on the average diameter of the existing drip-line using the tree trunk as its point of origin.

Drought tolerant means various plant species that survive on natural rainfall without the need for supplemental irrigation after establishment.

Exempt tree means a tree less than eight inches in diameter and palm trees with less than four and one-half feet of clear trunk. Exempt trees do not require a permit for removal. Exempt trees may not be used to calculate required canopy and may not be used as replacement trees.

Hazardous tree means a tree or part of a tree that is irreparably diseased or presents a danger of falling that cannot be controlled or remedied through reasonable preservation and/or preventative procedures and pesticides such that the public health or safety requires its removal.

Historic tree means any protected tree(s) which is 36 inches in DBH or greater and has such unique and intrinsic value to the general public because of its size, age, historic association, or ecological value as to justify this classification. Any tree in the town selected and duly designated a Florida State Champion, United States Champion or a World Champion by the American Forestry Association shall likewise be deemed a historic tree.

Indigenous means species of plant or vegetation which is native to the State of Florida.

Invasive species means any non-indigenous species that crowds out or takes over native species habitats.

Landscaping means any of the following or combination thereof: Living material such as but not limited to, grass, ground covers, shrubs, vines, hedges, and trees. Landscaping may include, for accent purposes, nonliving material such as, but not limited to, rocks, mulch, pebbles, decorative walls or fences, but excluding paving.

Noxious means any non-indigenous species that crowds out or takes over native species habitats.

Palm tree means a monocotyledonous plant of the Palmacea family. With some exceptions, it has an unbranched trunk; its leaves group at the end of the trunk and form a type of tuft. Care, maintenance and pruning of palm trees will be governed by and all related ANSI publications as they relate to trees and landscape, adopted by the International Society of Agriculture (ISA), American Consulting Arborists (ASCA) and Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) formerly the National Arborists Association (NAA). Palm trees shall be measured according to Florida grades and standards.

Park trees means trees, shrubs, bushes, and all other woody vegetation in public parks and all areas owned by the town.

Person means an individual, partnership, corporation, association, or other legal entity, and shall include the plural as well as the singular.

Private trees means trees, shrubs, bushes, and all other woody vegetation in areas owned by private, residential or commercial property owners.

Protected tree means any self-supporting woody or fibrous perennial plant/tree of a species that normally grows to a mature height of 25 feet or greater and has a tree trunk DBH of eight inches or greater and is not an exempt tree. Includes palm trees with more than four and one-half feet of clear trunk, any replacement tree, any non-exempt tree that is represented in a planning document for the purposes of securing an approved building or demolition permit, and all trees on Town property.

Pruning means removing or reducing tree limbs to benefit the overall health and safety of a tree. Care, maintenance and pruning shall be done according to current standards established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A-300, Part 1, and all related ANSI publications as they relate to trees and landscape, adopted by the International Society of Agriculture (ISA), American Consulting Arborists (ASCA) and Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) formerly the National Arborists Association (NAA).

Removal of a tree means either actually removing a tree from the ground which it grew, transplanting a tree, or effectively removing a tree through damage to the trunk, topping, damaging, or removing major limbs, roots, or enough canopy volume so that the tree dies, declines beyond recovery, or becomes a hazard to public safety and must be removed. The term "removal" includes removal, removing, or actual displacement or effective displacement through damaging.

Replacement tree means any tree planted as a condition of approval of a tree removal permit or as may be required to meet the conditions of an approved plan for development. Any tree planted as a requirement for tree replacement mitigation due to an illegal removal.

Right-of-way means land which is owned by a governmental entity or has an easement devoted to for use as a transportation facility or street. The storm water areas associated with the transportation facility shall be included in this definition.

Site means that parcel of land for which any permit from the town is sought.

Size means the tree's DBH or caliper.

Specimen tree means any tree, except undesirable, noxious or invasive, with a DBH of 18 inches or larger.

Stop work order means notice stating the reason(s) for stopping work, in writing, given to the owner of the property, or to his/her agent, or to the person doing the work, or a notice posted at the property upon which the tree work is being performed requiring that all work cease.

Street trees means trees, shrubs, bushes, and all other woody vegetation on rights-of-way on either side of all lanes, streets, avenues, or ways within the town.

Tree means a woody or fibrous perennial usually having one dominant trunk which normally grows, or is capable of growing, in the central and north-central area of Florida to a mature height of a minimum of 15 feet and to a minimum DBH of not less than four inches as measured four feet, six inches above the existing grade.

Top or topping means the severe cutting back of limbs or trunks within the crown of a tree (25 percent or more) so as to remove the normal canopy and alter the natural growth habit of the tree, inappropriate pruning technique to reduce tree size, or cutting back a tree to a predetermined crown limit, often at internodes.

Tree protection zone/area (TPA) means the defined area within which certain activities are prohibited or restricted to prevent or minimize potential injury to designated trees, especially during construction or development. This shall mean an area surrounding a tree encompassed by a tree's drip line or projected drip line. The minimum TPA shall be three feet or TPA radius per 12 inches of DBH. For example, a 12-inch DBH tree would have a TPA of three feet radius; a 60-inch DBH will have a TPA of 15 feet radius. Factor DBH in inches/4. The maximum required tree protection area shall be 25 feet radius from the trunk of the tree.

Trenching means linear or curved open excavation often used to install utilities or structural footings.

Yard means the open space on the same lot with a principal building which is unoccupied by buildings or paving.

(Ord. No. 2014-16, § 1, 12-9-2014)