Hello! Because you have spoken up for Laguna's trees in the past, we know you will want to be aware of what is happening at the next City Council meeting.
This Tuesday, October 5th at 5PM, the proposed "Defensible Space Guideline Ordinance" will be up for final adoption by City Council and if accepted, will drastically change the character of Laguna Beach. In what can only be seen as a misinterpretation of Assembly Bill 38 (2019) the fire department is recommending that the City adopt the extremely stringent requirements that apply to "wildlands vegetation management" rather than "urban vegetation management." This will apply to a staggering 87% of the City of Laguna Beach which is classified as a "Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone" (VHFHSZ), if the ordinance passes this Tuesday, and the effects will be devastating for Laguna's urban landscape. Shockingly, there has been no California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review to assess the Environmental impact of the vast removal of so much landscaping. This is very concerning.
Here's what will change:
1. No trees allowed in the 5 foot zone surrounding the house.
2. No tree canopy within 6 feet of the house. This means the actual tree trunk will be even further away—perhaps there will be no room for a tree in narrow setback areas.
3. Shrubs over 6 feet must have their lower foliage removed, leaving the bottom 4’ bare, under windows shrubs may not be higher than 18".
4. Within 30 feet of the house, tree canopy must be reduced by 30%, and shrubs reduced by 50%.
5. You must reduce plant cover to 30% within 5-30 feet, and reduce plant cover to 50% within 30-100 feet of home.
What can you do? Speak up this at the meeting and tell the City that the adoption of this ordinance will do more harm than good. Irrigated and maintained landscaping is not a fire hazard and should be preserved to support biodiversity, wildlife, and erosion control. CAL FIRE advises to not over prune trees during a drought; permit trees near homes for shade, aesthetics and habitat; and maintain a robust Urban Forest to reduce energy cost through shading. Let's focus on the reasonable and beneficial parts of the ordinance and remove dead wood, dead plants, and wood piles.
Speak up on Tuesday, October 5th at 5PM before it's to late!
Look for item number 7 on the Consent Calendar. (it will come up early.)
You can attend the meeting in person, on zoom, or by phone.
https://lagunabeachcity.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=3&event_id=1398
Please send letters to CityCouncil@lagunabeachcity.net
For more information including maps and letters from experts, visit www.savelagunatrees.com
Our Urban Ecosystem is counting on you!