§ 22.58.030. Definitions.

"Canopy" means the overhead covering of a tree or trees formed by its foliage.

"Contiguous Trees" means adjacent trees where the tree canopies may, in some instances, touch or overlap.

"Clear-cut" means the removal of contiguous trees that occupy an area of one acre or more within an Oak Woodland from a Site or portion of a Site for any reason, including the harvesting of wood, or to enable the conversion of land to other land uses.

"Heritage oaks" are any individual oak species, as defined by this ordinance, of 48 inches diameter at breast height (dbh) or greater, separated from all Stands and Oak Woodlands by at least 500 feet.

"Oak Woodland" means a grouping of trees over one acre in area growing in a contiguous pattern and on a site of sufficiently uniform quality that is distinguishable as a unit, including any Stand within 500 feet; where the dominant trees are one or more of the following species: Blue oak (Quercus douglasii), coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), interior live oak (Quercus wislizeni), valley oak (Quercus lobata), and California black oak (Quercus kelloggii).

"Oak Woodland Management Plan" means a plan prepared that provides for the long-term conservation and maintenance of the oak woodland, including but not limited to programs for the maintenance, regeneration and enhancement of the woodland, and the associated woodland habitat and monitoring programs to ensure the objectives of the plan are continuing to be met.

"Site" for the purposes of this ordinance, means any lot or parcel of land or contiguous combination thereof, under the same ownership.

"Stand" means an individual oak tree or a grouping of contiguous oak trees that occupy less than one acre of area where the dominant trees are one or more of the following species: Blue oak (Quercus douglasii), coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), interior live oak (Quercus wislizeni), valley oak (Quercus lobata), and California black oak (Quercus kelloggi) separated by more than 500 feet from the nearest Oak Woodland.

"Thinning" is the removal of individual trees for the purpose and intent of oak woodland management to improve the health of the oak woodland and where such thinning would not adversely affect the health or substantially alter the density of the oak woodland.

"Tree removal" means to sever or displace the above-ground portion of a tree using manual, mechanical, or chemical means, which results in the death or stumping of the tree.

[Added 2017, Ord. 3346]