Subject:
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SELECTION OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBER OF TREE ADVOCACY COMMITTEE
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Background
On April 29, 2024, the Town Council adopted a series of amendments to the Town of Vienna code, with the purpose addressing the loss of tree canopy in Vienna. The effective date of these changes is July 29, 2024.
Members of the Planning Commission will remember that the Commission reviewed proposed changes during a series of work sessions and meetings in late 2023, which resulted in your having provided a recommendation memorandum to the Town Council.
The adopted amendments covered two general areas:
1) Changing the regulatory approach for trees during the redevelopment process from a focus on tree replacement to a focus on tree preservation. The new regulations are being moved from Chapter 18 (Zoning and Subdivision) into Chapter 17 (which was left vacant when zoning and subdivision regulations were combined).
2) Establishing Chapter 27 of the Town code, the Tree Advocacy Committee (TAC) to serve under the Conservation and Sustainability Commission (CSC) but also report to the Town Council.
Final versions of the amendments have not yet been published but the adopted changes can be found in Attachments 1 and 2 in the Town Council agenda item for April 29, 2024.
Planning Commission Member of the TAC
In establishing the TAC, the Town Council approved there being nine (9) members, as follows, all of whom must be residents of the Town of Vienna:
- 4 members appointed directly by the Town Council.
- 2 student members, one of whom is a senior and one a junior, appointed directly by the Town Council.
- 2 members selected by the CSC from its membership.
- 1 member selected by the Planning Commission from its membership (as was recommended by the Planning Commission).
For the Planning Commission to have its member selected by the effective date of the legislation (July 29th), the Planning Commission would need to make its selection at the July 10th meeting, which is the...
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