American Forests, a non-profit citizen conservation organization, released their Urban Ecosystem Analysis in the spring of 2009 that studied San Antonio area tree canopy between the years 2001 and 2006 using U.S. Geological Survey land cover data.  The Analysis uses three geographical zones to present findings: the urban core of the City, the Edwards Recharge and Transition Zones and the Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ). All three zones experienced a loss of canopy however, the most drastic reduction in tree canopy occurred in the Recharge and Transition Zones where some 3,200 acres of tree canopy was lost between 2001 and 2006.  The loss of tree canopy represents additional costs to the City to manage storm water runoff, air quality and energy consumption.

Based on the Analysis the City of San Antonio has approximately 38% tree canopy. American Forests recommends a 40% overall tree canopy goal. The 2% difference requires installation of approximately 454,600 trees based on a 27-foot diameter tree canopy. Additional preservation of mature trees will facilitate attainment of the tree canopy goals. 

A tree stakeholder committee was convened in mid-2009 to consider how best to implement the recommendations of American Forests. A tree canopy ordinance, (phase II),  is currently under review by the committee. This ordinance has a tentative time-line for City Council consideration in February 2010.  A near term solution to prevent additional tree loss in environmentally sensitive areas has also been reviewed by the committee. The proposed UDC amendment, (phase I), increases the tree preservation requirements in environmentally sensitive areas.  For the purposes of tree preservation, environmentally sensitive  areas shall include steep slopes, and a riparian buffer outside of the regulatory floodplain.

In addition to input from the tree stakeholder committee, an interagency team consisting of City departments, the Army, and chaired by a Deputy City Manager, reviewed the ordinance in the context of the Camp Bullis implementation initiatives on a bi-weekly basis.

To elicit feedback and discuss workability, staff met with the tree stakeholder committee in August and September 2009 as well as with the Planning and Development Services Department, Development Process taskforce, and the Real Estate Council of San Antonio.  Subsequent meetings with the Planning Commission and its Technical Advisory Committee reviewed the amendment.

One alternative is to amend the water quality ordinance through Chapter 34 of the City Code rather than the UDC, Chapter 35 of the City Code.  The water quality ordinance addresses the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone and Contributing Zone but not areas elsewhere in the City.  This further limits the scope of additional preservation requirements in other areas of the City.

The no action alternative would preclude the additional protections for steep slides and riparian areas included in this ordinance and do nothing to promote the recommendations of the American Forests Urban Ecosystem Analysis.

There is no impact to the City of San Antonio if the staff recommendation is adopted.

Staff recommends approval of amending Chapter 35 Unified Development Code (UDC) relative to tree preservation within environmentally sensitive areas.