35.010 Purpose

The City of Lehi recognizes that trees are a valuable community resource that need to be protected and enhanced through proper management, education, and stewardship. Healthy trees reduce air and noise pollution, provide energy saving shade and cooling, furnish habitat for wildlife, enhance aesthetics and property values, and are an important contributor to community image, pride, and quality of life. This chapter is not intended to resolve or regulate any disputes over trees or any vegetation on private property that do not affect public safety. The provisions of this chapter are enacted to: A. establish, preserve and maintain the maximum amount of quality tree cover on public and private lands within the boundaries of Lehi City to enhance the City’s environmental, economic and social character with mature trees; B. encourage site and utility planning, building and development practices to prevent indiscriminate removal or destruction of trees and avoid unnecessary disturbance to trees within the City and its area of impact; C. protect public safety, health and welfare by maintaining public trees in a healthy and non- hazardous condition through appropriate arboricultural practices; D. provide for the planting, maintenance, and removal of dead, dying or hazardous trees on City lands, and on private lands as needed; E. inform and educate property owners and City staff of new and existing guidelines for dealing with public trees adjacent to their property, and hazardous trees on private properties; F. establish and maintain appropriate diversity of tree species and age classes to provide a stable and sustainable community forest; G. provide for the preservation, marking and maintaining of historic or notable trees through an initial inventory of trees within the City; Community Forestry Adopted 04/22/08 H. develop and maintain a Public Street tree recommendation list for public right of ways; I. develop and maintain an Annual Urban Forestry Plan of Work; J. protect the City’s electric power system and promote public health and safety, and protect, as much as possible, the health and vigor of the trees adjacent to or under power lines within the City while preventing tree-related electric power outages; and K. implement the goals and objectives of the general plan.