Baton Rouge City Planning Department Rules (Chapter 18)

TREE AND LANDSCAPE COMMISSION INVOLVEMENT

In formulating the City-Parish Urban Forestry Management Plan, the Tree and Landscape Commission shall place priority on projects that ... preserve, protect, and/or restore the unique identity and environment that are landmarks of the City-Parish history. The Tree and Landscape Commission shall consist of nine (9) voting members and non-voting ex-officio members as follows:

a. As one (1) voting member, one professional forester;

b. One (1) voting member is representing the utilities;

c. As voting members, four (4) professional members to include: one (1) licensed landscape architect and three (3) other members such as licensed arborists, licensed architects, landscape architects, licensed landscape contractors, or other similar professionals as appropriate;

d. Three (3) voting members selected at large, from residents and/or property owners of the City-Parish chosen for their knowledge of and concern about the City-Parish urban forest; and

e. As non-voting ex-officio members, a representative from each of the following: the Department of Public Works, the Recreation and Park Commission, the Planning Commission, and the City-Parish Forester.

2. The voting members of the Tree and Landscape Commission shall be appointed by the Mayor-President with the approval of the Metropolitan Council.  [Interesting...]

INVOLVEMENT OF DPW OFFICE OF LANDSCAPE AND FORESTRY
(AND REPLACEMENT OF REMOVED TREES)

 

Construction Near Public Trees: Wherever any & all types of construction activity being performed within or in close proximity to public rights-of-way & servitudes comes within six (6) feet of a publicly owned tree, the following will apply:

a. For trees measuring twelve (12) inches in diameter or less, soilexcavation work or root cutting shall not occur closer than three (3) feetfrom the outer bark of the tree. 

b. For trees measuring greater than twelve (12) inches in diameter, soil excavation work or root cutting shall not occur closer than the distance measured by the circumference of the tree, or a maximum distance of six (6) feet, whichever is less.

c. Soil excavation work is permitted closer than the distance parameters established under the above two categories, provided all excavation of soil is accomplished by hand shovel or auger, and no roots greater than two inches in diameter are severed.

d. If there is an inability to perform the requirements established under the aforementioned three situations, a representative from the DPW Office of Landscape and Forestry shall be called to the tree site to make an inspection and recommendation pertaining to the need to remove the tree. Unless other provisions are specified, trees removed by the city will be removed and replaced at cost to the contractor or department authorizing the construction. The replacement tree(s) will be in accordance with the Department’s replacement policy

http://metroweb.ci.baton-rouge.la.us/DEPT/planning/pdf/CH18draft.pdf