Special Planning Commission Meeting 12/11/25

The City of Encinitas Planning Commission held a special meeting on December 11, 2025, to discuss and recommend a municipal code amendment for a mature tree preservation ordinance. The ordinance aims to define mature trees, establish preservation standards, and regulate tree removal on private and public properties, excluding certain exemptions such as single-family lots and high fire hazard zones. Key procurement-related discussions included the introduction of a new city tree removal permit, mitigation strategies involving tree replacement or in-lieu fees, and enforcement mechanisms with treble fees for violations. Commissioners debated the scope of the ordinance, particularly whether single-family residences should be included, the applicability to subdivisions and multi-family developments, and the exemption of high fire hazard zones. The commission moved to recommend the ordinance to the City Council with amendments to include single-family properties, revise the ordinance's purpose for clarity, increase treble fees from three to five times the appraised tree value, remove the exemption for high fire hazard zones, and eliminate provisions related to tree removal not associated with development. The ordinance is tentatively scheduled for City Council introduction on January 28, 2026.