(a)(1) There is hereby established an Urban Forest Preservation Program for the District of Columbia which shall be administered by the Mayor. The Mayor, pursuant to subchapter I of Chapter 5 of Title 2, shall promulgate standards and regulations governing the administration of this program and the protection of trees.
(2) The regulations shall allow public utility companies regulated by the Public Service Commission to conduct utility construction, line maintenance, and emergency work within the District’s rights-of-way without a Special Tree removal permit otherwise required by this chapter.
(b) The Mayor shall transmit the regulations prescribed in subsection (a) of this section to the Council no later than 270 calendar days following June 12, 2003 for approval or disapproval, by resolution. These regulations and each revision of these regulations shall be transmitted to the Council for a 45-day review period, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, holidays and periods of Council recess, and deemed disapproved in the absence of Council action within the 45-day review period.
(c) The Mayor shall be responsible for preparing and annually updating a 5-year urban forest report and master plan.
(June 12, 2003, D.C. Law 14-309, § 103, 50 DCR 888.)
Section ReferencesThis section is referenced in § 8-651.05.
ResolutionsResolution 18-140, the “Urban Forest Preservation Regulations Approval Resolution of 2009”, was approved effective June 2, 2009.