DATE: March 18, 2025
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Director of Development Services
SUBJECT
Title
Tree Preservation Ordinance: Work Session on Proposed Text Amendments to the Hayward Municipal Code for the Adoption of an Updated Tree Preservation Ordinance
End
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
That the City Council review and provide feedback, as appropriate, on the draft Tree Preservation Ordinance.
End
SUMMARY
Hayward Municipal Code Chapter 10, Article 15, Tree Preservation Ordinance, contains guidelines for the preservation of existing trees and the process for removing, replacing, and mitigating the loss of trees covered by the Ordinance. A comprehensive update of the Ordinance, which was last amended in 2002, was included as Program NR-61 of the Natural Resources Element of the General Plan and Special Project CP7 under Champion Climate Resilience and Environmental Justice in the 2025 Strategic Roadmap.
In May 2023, the City hired Dudek to help prepare updates to the City’s Tree Preservation Ordinance, complete a citywide Tree Canopy Survey, and prepare landscaping guidelines for the Hayward Executive Airport. The proposed Amendments are based on best practices in the field of tree preservation, landscape architecture, and support the broader equity, environmental, and sustainability goals of the City.
On September 17, 2024, the City Council held a work session to provide feedback on several key policies for inclusion in the Ordinance. City Council expressed support for the preservation requirements for native trees on private property; the addition of a heritage trees designation; establishing mitigation for the loss of tree canopy; and establishing an in-lieu fee option that could be available for off-site mitigation. The City Council requested additional clarification on the process involved for Heritage Tree removal, how canopy requirements would be incorporated into the development review process, and how the in-lieu fee will be used, including ways to lessen the financial impacts to the community for replacing and caring for protected trees.
In response to the comments received from both the Planning Commission and City Council, staff and the consultant team made several revisions to the draft Ordinance, which are discussed in greater detail in the staff report.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment I Staff Report
Attachment II Draft Ordinance
Attachment III Summary of Proposed Revisions