HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-11407 approving the Community Forest Plan and a determination of Categorial Exemption from the California Environmental Quality ActR 11407
RESOLUTION NO. 11407 (2023 SERIES)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS
OBISPO, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING THE COMMUNITY FOREST PLAN
AND A DETERMINATION OF CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION FROM
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT
WHEREAS, San Luis Obispo residents and officials have long supported efforts
to maintain and expand the city’s urban forest; and
WHEREAS, urban forests provide environmental benefits including creating
wildlife habitat, reducing stormwater runoff, filtering air pollut ion, producing oxygen; and
WHEREAS, urban forests provide social benefits including creating green spaces
for recreation, improving aesthetics of streetscapes, improving public health, calming
traffic and promoting pedestrian and cyclist safety, reducing noise pollution, and helping
to reduce crime rates; and
WHEREAS, urban forests have been found through peer-reviewed academic
literature to provide economic benefits including increasing property values, reducing
building cooling costs and energy use due to shading and cooling effects of trees,
increasing economic activity in commercial areas, and reducing demand on capital
infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, investments in street tree planting and care therefore result in positive
returns to communities by accruing environmental, social, and economic benefits; and
WHEREAS, despite the growing recognition of the value created by urban forests,
the United States as a whole, and San Luis Obispo specifically, is losing trees due to
development, pests and disease, wildfire, extreme weather , and deferred maintenance;
and
WHEREAS, the City of San Luis Obispo Community Forest Plan provides a vision
for a strengthened and expanded urban forest, and all the attendant multiple benefits to
residents and visitors; and
WHEREAS, the Community Forest Plan comprises part of the City’s climate action
planning efforts through its addressing of the proposal to plant 10,000 trees by 2035,
which would sequester and store carbon that would otherwise remain in the atmosphere;
and
WHEREAS, on August 18, 2020, City Council adopted Resolution 11159, which
approves the 2020 Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery and provides
foundational actions to establish a trajectory towards achieving those goals , including an
action to prepare a Community Forest Plan; and
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WHEREAS, on December 13, 2020, City Council adopted Resolution 11381,
which approves the Climate Action Plan 2023 -27 Work Program and provides work
program tasks to advance climate action, including a task to adopt and implement the
Community Forest Plan and make significant progress on the 10 Tall goal of planting and
maintaining 10,000 new trees by 2035; and
WHEREAS, the preparation of the Community Forest Plan is also identified in the
Major City Goal work program for Climate Action, Open Space, and Sustainable
Transportation that is included in the City’s 2021-23 Financial Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Community Forest Plan is categorically exempt from CEQA under
Section 15262, Feasibility and Planning Studies, as an advisory planning document which
has no binding effect on future activities; and
WHEREAS, as an overarching planning and guidance document that provides
recommendations only, without regulatory authority or entitlement of projects that can be
implemented directly that would have a physical effect on the environment, the project is
also exempt under the General Rule, Section 15061 (b)(3) since it can be seen with
certainty that the Community Forest Plan will not have a significant effect on the
environment.
WHEREAS, as an implementation action of the Climate Action Plan, the proposed
Community Forest Plan is consistent with the Climate Action Plan Negative Declaration
filed with the County-Clerk Recorder and with the State Clearinghouse on August 19,
2020; and
WHEREAS, on February 27, 2023, the Tree Committee received a presentation
on the City of San Luis Obispo Community Forest Plan and recommended that City
Council approve the plan.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of San Luis
Obispo as follows:
SECTION 1. Recitals. The recitals set forth above are hereby adopted as the
findings of the City in adopting the policies herein.
SECTION 2. Environmental Review. The City Council has determined that the
Community Forest Plan is categorically exempt from CEQA under Section 15262,
Feasibility and Planning Studies, as an advisory planning document that has no binding
effect on future activities. As an overarching planning and guidance document that
provides recommendations only, without regulatory authority or entitlement of projects
that can be implemented directly that would have a physical effect on the environment,
the project is also exempt under the General Rule, Section 15061 (b)(3) since it can be
seen with certainty that the Community Forest Plan will not have a significant effect on
the environment.
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SECTION 3. Community Forest Plan. The City Council hereby approves the
Community Forest Plan.
Upon motion of Council Member Mayor Stewart, seconded by Council Member
Shoresman, and on the following roll call vote:
AYES: Council Member Francis, Pease, Shoresman, Vice Mayor Marx, and
Mayor Stewart
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
The foregoing resolution was adopted this 4th day of April 2023.
___________________________
Mayor Erica A. Stewart
ATTEST:
______________________
Teresa Purrington
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
______________________
J. Christine Dietrick
City Attorney
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the
City of San Luis Obispo, California, on ______________________.
___________________________
Teresa Purrington
City Clerk
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4/20/2023 | 11:41 AM PDT