Sec. 25-129. Credit and Security

Existing trees to be preserved, proposed on-site woodland conservation, trees planted throughout the site, and street trees located within the right-of-way along the property frontage may be counted toward meeting this requirement. Calculations of tree canopy coverage credits shall be completed using the worksheet provided in the Technical Manual. Credit toward meeting this requirement shall be calculated using the amount of tree canopy coverage a planted tree provides in ten years, and/or by calculating the amount of tree canopy provided by existing trees to be preserved, regardless of whether or not the existing trees are used to meet other requirements of this Subtitle.

Specimen, champion, and historic trees may be credited by counting the square footage of the unimpacted critical root zone area if they are not within a designated woodland conservation area and if the site has been designed to ensure long-term survival. If the specimen, champion or historic trees are within a woodland conservation area, additional credit shall not be calculated. A tree management plan in accordance with the Technical Manual may be required for each specimen, champion, or historic tree preserved for credit under this paragraph.

Existing trees that are not bonded through other requirements of the County Code may be required to be bonded by the approving authority of the DRD application, permit application and any other associated plan or application prior to permit issuance. If a bond is required, the bond amount shall be equal to the replacement cost of the trees used to meet the tree canopy requirement and shall be provided prior to permit issuance. The replacement cost for landscaping trees shall be based on the average cost of the plant material as provided by the applicant, with a 2.5 multiplier to cover installation costs. The replacement cost for trees used to meet this requirement that are above landscape sizes shall be calculated by the applicant using the removal cost plus the replacement value. The replacement value shall be calculated using the latest edition of the "Guide for Plant Appraisal" prepared by the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers.

If an existing tree proposed to be preserved does not survive construction, mitigation shall be provided as stated in Section 25-120(c)(6)(D).