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Chairman Phil Mendelson 2
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A BILL 6
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 11
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To amend the Urban Forest Preservation Act of 2002 to change the definition of a Special Tree, 16
increase the fee for removal of Special Trees, establish a fee for the removal of Heritage 17
Trees, and limit the use of the Tree Fund for plantings on public property. 18
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 20
act may be cited as the “Tree Preservation Enhancement Amendment Act of 2023”. 21
Sec. 2. The Urban Forest Preservation Act of 2002, effective June 12, 2003 (D.C. Law 22
14-309; D.C. Official Code § 8-651.01 et seq.), is amended as follows: 23
(a) Section 102(5) (D.C. Official Code § 8-651.02) is amended by striking the phrase “44 24
inches” and inserting the phrase “25 inches” in its place. 25
(b) Section 104(b)(3) (D.C. Official Code § 8-651.04(b)(3)) is amended to read as 26
follows: 27
“(3) Paid into the Tree Fund an amount for each inch of the circumference of the Special 28
Tree in question of not less than: 29
“(A) $55 when the applicant is the owner of a property receiving the homestead 30
deduction pursuant to D.C. Official Code § 47-850; or 31
“(B) $100 when the applicant is the not owner of a property that is receiving the 32
homestead deduction pursuant to D.C. Official Code § 47-850.”. 33
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(c) Section 104a (D.C. Official Code § 8-651.04a) is amended as follows: 34
(1) Subparagraph (b)(1)(A) is amended by striking the phrase “; or” and inserting 35
a semicolon in its place. 36
(2) Subparagraph (b)(1)(B) is amended by striking the phrase “removal.” and 37
inserting the phrase “removal; or” in its place. 38
(3) A new subparagraph (b)(1)(C) is added to read as follows: 39
“(C) Paid into the Tree fund: 40
“(i) An amount not less than $350 for each inch of the 41
circumference of the Heritage Tree in question; or 42
“(ii) An amount not less than $250 for each inch of circumference 43
of the Heritage Tree in question and established a perpetual conservation easement on a portion 44
of land in the District, of a size in square feet, equal to the diameter of the Heritage Tree in 45
question in inches multiplied by three.”. 46
(4) Subsection (c) is amended by striking “$300” and inserting “$500” in its 47
place. 48
(d) Section 107(b)(1)(A) (D.C. Official Code § 8-651.07) is amended by striking the 49
phrase “school property” and inserting the phrase “school property, in an annual amount not to 50
exceed 25% of the running five-year average of the receipts of the fund” in its place. 51
Sec. 4. Fiscal impact statement. 52
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 53
impact statement required by section 602(c)(3) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, 54
approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(3)). 55
Sec. 5. Effective date. 56
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This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 57
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 60-day period of congressional review as 58
provided in section 602(c)(2) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 59
24, 1973 (87 Stat. 788; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(2)), and publication in the District of 60
Columbia Register. 61