Strange told the commission that the active
ordinance has no mitigation for single family dwelling units as required by
CEQA, and which, according to Strange, is the single largest threat to the oak
trees. Why are single family dwelling units such a threat? Strange explained that developers
can currently be required to build single family homes around oak trees, in
order to preserve them, but there is no way to stop the homeowner from removing
the tree from their yard later. Jerry Scott told the commission that
they are not suggesting changes that will intend to be about regulation, but
management. Commissioner Robin Peters said that after researching tree
preservation around the state that he found a consistency in that they were all
surrounded by controversy.
Commission Chairman Frank Cunha stated that, "The controversy is due to the
lack of education by planning commissions. I used to feel I had to save every
heritage oak, but I learned that some of those trees are really old, (past
their prime so to speak) and it might be more useful to replace those trees
with new, young trees and refresh our environment." He went on to
say, "The
cumulative cutting of oak trees will devastate this county. We cannot look at
this issue as a city, alone. All cities in the county have to be involved in
this, Jackson, Ione, Plymouth, and the County are all taking very hard looks at
oak tree preservation." The commission directed Paula Daneluk to
draft the changes to the policy that include the preservation of the oak
woodlands as a corridor, or habitat.