8.12.030 Findings.
A. It is recognized that the preservation of trees is important for the following reasons:
1. To encourage and assure the continuance of quality development;
2. To protect and conserve the attractiveness and aesthetic and scenic beauty of the City;
3. To protect the environment of the City;
4. To aid in the reduction of air pollution by protecting the known capacity of trees to produce oxygen and ingest carbon dioxide;
5. To help reduce potential damage from wind;
6. To provide shade;
7. To act as a noise buffer; and
8. To assist in the absorption of rainwater into the ground, thereby protecting against potential damages from soil erosion and flooding, as well as reducing the cost of handling stormwater by artificial means.
B. In order to promote the health, safety, and general welfare of the citizens of the City, while recognizing individual rights to develop, maintain, and enjoy private property to the fullest possible extent, it is necessary to enact regulations preserving trees on both private and City-owned property within the City of Sebastopol.