Title
Amending?Section 14-705?of The Philadelphia Code, entitled?“Landscape and Trees”?by revising heritage tree removal requirements,?all under certain terms and conditions.?
Body
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:?
SECTION 1.?? Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code is hereby amended to read as follows:?
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TITLE 14.? ZONING AND PLANNING?
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CHAPTER 14-700.??DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS?
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§ 14-705.? Landscape and Trees.?
On-Site Landscape and Tree Requirements.
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(f) Preservation of Heritage Trees.
The location, DBH, and species of all existing trees shall be included in a landscape and tree plan. Heritage trees may not be removed from any property unless the applicant meets the standards of § 14-705(1)(f)(.1) or obtains a [special exception approval] waiver in accordance with § 14-705(1)(f)(.2).
(.1) A heritage tree may be removed from a property [without a special exception approval], provided that the applicant replaces the removed heritage tree in accordance with § 14-705(1)(g) (Tree Replacement Requirements); and one of the following conditions applies:
(.a) The heritage tree's location meets each of the following conditions:
(i) The lot is less than 70 acres in total size; is zoned I-1, I-2, I-3, or I-P; has a principal Industrial or Wholesale, Distribution, and Storage Use; and includes no Residential uses;
(ii) The tree is at least 75 feet from the nearest street, as measured from the closest point on the tree's trunk at 4.5 feet in height; and
(iii) The tree is at least 75 feet from the nearest lot that is in a Residential (RSD, RSA, RTA, RM, RMX), Commercial (CA), Commercial Mixed-Use (CMX), Special Purpose (SP), or IRMX district, as measured from the closest point on the tree's trunk at 4.5 feet in height.
[(.b) One or both of the following applies to the heritage tree:
(i) a certified arborist report, meeting Planning Commission regulations, that has determined that the tree i...
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