§ 54-31. Definitions.

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Accessway means a paved area intended to provide ingress and egress of vehicular traffic from a public or private right-of-way to an off-street parking or loading area. Parking lot aisles are not considered accessways.

Agricultural land means land designated by the parish tax assessor as agricultural in use.

Arboricultural specifications means those standards and specifications which govern the planting, trimming, bracing, pruning, spraying, fertilizing, removing, maintaining, and preservation of trees and shrubs in accordance with accepted practices of the state department of agriculture and forestry and the International Society of Arborists (ISA).

Caliper means a trunk diameter measurement of nursery stock. For diameters of four inches or less, measurement is taken six inches above ground level. For diameters larger than four inches, measurement is taken 12 inches above the ground.

Canopy/dripline area means the main mass of branches of a tree, determined from the outer perimeter of the branches of a tree as projected vertically to the ground.

Critical root zone means a circular region measured outward from a tree trunk representing the essential area of the roots that must be maintained or protected for the tree's survival. The critical root zone is one foot of radial distance for every inch DBH, or for live oaks 1.5 feet for every inch DBH, with a minimum of eight feet.

DBH (diameter at breast height) means the diameter of a tree's trunk measured at a height of 4.5 feet from the base of the tree. For trees having multiple trunks, separating below 4.5 feet from the base of the tree, the DBH shall be the sum of the trunks' DBH. The diameter shall be determined by dividing the circumference by 3.14 (pi).

Destroy means an intentional or negligent act which will cause a tree to decline and die, including, but not limited to, excessive cutting or pruning, damage inflicted upon the root system of a tree, the application of toxic substances, the operation of heavy machinery, including trenching devices, the change of natural grade within the critical root zone, and damages from injury or fire which result in or permit pest infestation.

Forest cover means a biological community dominated by trees and other woody plants, excluding orchards or nursery stock, covering a land area of 10,000 square feet or greater. Forest includes:

(1)

Areas that have at least 100 live trees per acre with at least 50 percent of those trees having a two-inch or greater DBH.

(2)

Forest areas that have been thinned but not cleared.

Forest stand means a contiguous group of trees sufficiently uniform in species composition, arrangement of age classes, and condition to be a distinguishable, homogeneous unit.

Forestation means the establishment of forest or tree cover on an area from which it is presently absent, or the planting of open areas which are not presently in forest cover.

Ground cover means low-growing plants planted in such a manner as to form a continuous cover over the ground, such as turf, liriope, ground cover jasmine, or like plants that can be maintained at or below two feet in height. Plant materials used as ground cover may consist of grasses, ornamental grasses, vines, and other herbaceous material.

Heritage tree means a live oak with a minimum DBH of 18 inches.

Landscape area means an unenclosed area of land in which landscape materials are placed, planted, and maintained. Landscape areas shall include the following:

(1)

Island: Completely surrounded by pavement.

(2)

Peninsula: Partially surrounded by pavement and attached to a landscape strip.

(3)

Strip: Provided around the perimeter of a property.

Landscape coordinator means the person designated by the city as responsible for coordination and review of plans and actions affecting landscaping on public and private property.

Landscape design means the preparation of graphic and written criteria, specifications, and detailed plans to arrange and modify the effects of natural features such as plantings, ground and water forms, circulation, walks, and other features to comply with the provisions of this article.

Landscape materials means living trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, ground covers, and other plants. Rocks, pebbles, sand, wood mulch, and other nonliving durable materials commonly used in landscaping, landscape water features, and artificial plants shall not be considered in determining compliance with minimum landscape requirements unless they are part of a landscape environment that includes living plants.

Landscape plan means a scaled plan that clearly delineates vehicular use areas and displays and describes all landscaping, including methods of irrigation and maintenance of landscaped areas.

Loading area means an area used for trash collection, refuse containers, outdoor freight loading and unloading, docks, or outdoor shipping and receiving.

Maintenance, in reference to maintenance of trees and shrubs, means an activity, including trimming, bracing, pruning, watering, or fertilizing of trees or shrubs, for the purpose of stabilizing, enhancing, protecting, or controlling their growth.

Mitigation means the mandatory replacement of trees, as required by this article.

Open space means the area of a lot, site, tract, or plot, exclusive of structures, driveways, parking, or open storage areas, which is open to the sky.

Preservation, in reference to preservation of trees and shrubs, means an activity, including trimming, bracing, pruning, fertilizing, protecting or controlling of trees or shrubs, for the purpose of retaining such tree or shrub in its existing location.

Private right-of-way means a parcel or strip of land dedicated to vehicular use as a private thoroughfare and maintained by the private entity to which it is dedicated.

Public land means real property owned and/or maintained by the city or other public body.

Public right-of-way means a parcel or strip of land dedicated to public use and maintained by the city or other public body.

Public tree means a tree located on property owned and/or maintained by the city.

Removal means an intentional or negligent act which will cause a tree or shrub to decline and die, including, but not limited to, excessive cutting, pruning, operation of machinery, application of toxic substances, girdling, damage to the root system, or change of natural grade above the root system.

Shrub means a low, usually multi-stemmed, self-supporting woody plant species.

Tree means an evergreen or deciduous upright perennial, planted in the earth, having a single main stem, or several main stems with few or no branches on its lowest part, generally attaining a height greater than 16 feet at maturity.

(1)

Class A means normally growing to an overall height of approximately 50 feet.

(2)

Class B means normally growing to an overall height of approximately 25 feet.

Tree protection devices, permanent, means measures, such as retaining walls or aeration devices, that are designed to protect the tree and its root system throughout its lifetime.

Tree protection devices, temporary, means structural measures, such as fencing, barricades or berms, installed prior to construction for the purpose of preventing damage to trees during construction.

Utility means a publicly, privately, or cooperatively owned line, facility or system for producing, transmitting or distributing communications, power, electricity, light, heat, gas, oil products, water, sewage, stormwater drainage or other similar services or commodities.

Vehicular use area means that area of a development subject to vehicular traffic, including accessways, parking lot aisles, loading and service areas, areas used for the parking and storage of vehicles, boats, or portable equipment, and the land intended for vehicular use.

(Ord. No. 2001-004, § 1(III), 6-18-2001)

Cross reference

Definitions generally, § 1-2.