§ 8107-25.2. Definitions.

For purposes of Sec. 8107-25 et seq., the following definitions shall apply:

Alter—To prune, cut, trim, poison, over-water, or otherwise damage or invade the protected zone of a tree or to cause such alterations. Invasion of the protected zone shall include such activities as trenching, digging, placement of heavy equipment, vehicles, or materials within the protected zone.

(Am. Ord. 4092—6/27/95)

Certification—Written documentation signed by an appropriate expert (as determined by the Planning Director), which states in a manner consistent with this ordinance, his/her opinion that there is no reasonable and appropriate alternative to altering or removing a given tree.

(Am. Ord. 4092—6/27/95)

Commercial Agriculture—A for-profit farming enterprise consisting of tree and crop production for feed, food, fiber, fuel, shelter, and ornament, and including floriculture, horticulture, aquaculture, or animal husbandry established and conducted in a manner consistent with proper and accepted customs and standards as established and followed by similar agricultural operations in the County.

Deadwooding—Removal of broken, diseased, dying, and dead plant material.

(Add Ord. 4092—6/27/95)

Dripline—The area created by extending a vertical line from the outermost portion of the limb canopy to the ground.

Emergency—A situation in which a tree or its limbs are determined to pose an imminent threat to public safety, property or to the health of a protected tree.

(Am. Ord. 4092—6/27/95)

Farm Plan—A plan for new commercial agriculture in text and map form which outlines, among other things, proposed compliance with grading regulations such as the Hillside Erosion Control Ordinance, irrigation, crop types and locations, and phasing of implementation. The plan should also include any bids for contract services such as surveying, engineering, land preparation, and planting.

Fell—To cut, push, or pull down, or otherwise topple a tree.

(Add Ord. 4092—6/27/95)

Forest Resource Management Plan—A long-term forest and land management plan and guidelines in text and map form which outlines among other things, compliance with the Tree Protection Regulations, improvement project plans, tree harvesting on a sustaining yield basis, and phasing of implementation. The plan shall also include plans for the conservation of soil, vegetation, water, and fish and wildlife habitat and other factors as necessary.

(Am. Ord. 4092—6/27/95)

Girth—The circumference in inches of a tree's trunk, limb, or root. The girth of a trunk is measured at a mid-point four and one-half feet between the uphill and downhill side of the root crown. Where an elevated root crown is encountered which enlarges the trunk at four and one-half feet above grade, the trunk shall be measured above the crown swell where the normal trunk resumes. Girth of limbs shall be measured just beyond the swell of the branch where the limb attaches to the main trunk or their supporting limbs.

(Am. Ord. 4092—6/27/95)

Heritage Tree—Any species of tree with a single trunk of ninety (90) or more inches in girth or with multiple trunks, two of which collectively measure seventy-two (72) inches in girth or more. In addition, species with naturally thin trunks when full grown (such as Washington Palms), species with naturally large trunks at an early age (such as some date palms), or trees with unnaturally enlarged trunks due to injury or disease (e.g., burls and galls) must be at least sixty (60) feet tall or seventy-five (75) years old to be considered as a heritage tree.

Historical Tree—Any tree or group of trees identified by the County or a city as a landmark, or identified on the Federal or California Historic Resources Inventory to be of historical or cultural significance, or identified as contributing to a site or structure of historical or cultural significance.

Introduced Protected Trees—Trees which appear on Table 1 "PROTECTED TREES" but which have been planted by man for purposes of affecting the environment, architecture, climate or aesthetics of a given place and are, therefore, considered landscape features.

ISA Standards—Pruning standards promulgated by the International Society of Arboriculture.

Multiple Trunk Tree—A tree which has two or more trunks forking below four and one-half feet above the uphill side of the root crown.

Native Trees—Any trees indigenous to Ventura County not planted for commercial agriculture.

Necessary Agricultural Operations—Those activities which are performed solely for the benefit of commercial agriculture. Excluded from this definition are activities such as clearing land for future subdivision, development of nonagricultural uses, and harvesting of native trees or their limbs for various commercial purposes.

Offsets—Methods of mitigation and/or replacement for the alteration, felling, or removal of a protected tree.

Protected Trees—Any trees from among the species or any heritage or historical tree listed in Table 1 (following definitions) with one or more differentiated trunks which meets the dimensional standards therein and which is situated on land with the applicable zoning shown on Table 1.

Protected Zone—The surface and subsurface area within the dripline and extending a minimum of five feet outside the dripline, or fifteen (15) feet from the trunk of a tree, whichever is greater.

Pruning—Removal of all, or portions, of a tree's shoots, branches, limbs or roots.

Qualified Tree Consultant—An individual who, through a combination of education, training, licenses and certificates for professional proficiency, and work experience can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Planning Director he or she possesses the necessary skills and abilities to provide competent advice as called for by various provisions of the Tree Protection Regulations.

Qualified Tree Trimmer—An individual who has, to the satisfaction of the Planning Director, certified that he has read and understands the Tree Protection Ordinance, Tree Protection Guidelines, ISA Pruning Standards, is licensed to conduct business in Ventura County and has other applicable land use permits to conduct said business.

Remove—To transplant a protected tree or carry away a fallen protected tree or its limbs.

Root Crown—The area of a tree where the trunk(s) meet the roots, sometimes called the collar of the tree.

Root System—Unless otherwise demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Planning Director with a field investigation conducted by a certified arborist, the root system is the underground portion of a tree, as defined by inscribing a circle around the trunk of the tree using a radius equal to the farthest reach of the dripline plus five feet. The minimal radius to be used is fifteen (15) feet.

Timber Growing and Harvesting—An activity which may or may not be part of an agricultural operation which involves the cutting of trees for forest product or firewood purposes. Such trees can be planted or of a natural growth, standing or down, on privately or publicly owned land, including Christmas trees but excluding nursery stock.

Tree Row—A row of trees planted and presently used for the purpose of providing a shelter from wind for commercial agriculture; also known as a windbreak, or windrow.

TABLE 1
PROTECTED TREES

Common Name/Botanical Name Genus species	Girth Standard (Circumference)	Applicable Zones
		All Base Zones	SRP
Alder Alnus all species	9.5 in.		X
Ash Fraxinus dipetala	9.5 in.		X
Bay Umbellularia californica	9.5 in.		X
Cottonwood Populus all species	9.5 in.		X
Elderberry Sambucus all species	9.5 in.		X
Big Cone Douglas Fir Pseudotsuga macrocarpa	9.5 in.		X
White Fir Abies concolor	9.5 in.		X
Juniper Juniperus californica	9.5 in.		X
Maple Acer macrophyllum	9.5 in.		X
Oak (Single) Quercus all species	9.5 in.	X	X
Oak (Multi) Quercus all species	6.25 in.	X	X
Pine Pinus all species	9.5 in.		X
Sycamore Platanus all species	9.5 in.	X	X
Walnut Juglans californica	9.5 in.		X
Historical Tree (any species)	(any size)	X	X
Heritage Tree (any species)	90.0 in.	X	X

 

X Indicates the zones in which the subject trees are considered protected trees.
1 SRP—Scenic Resource Protection Overlay Zone
2 See Definition above

(Am. Ord. 4092—6/27/95; Am. Ord. 4390—9/9/08)