City of Brighton - File #: ID-31-24

• File #: ID-31-24
• Version: 1
• Type: Informational Report
• Status: Agenda Ready
• File created: 1/11/2024
• In control: City Council
• On agenda: 1/23/2024
• Title: Tree Height for Emergency Vehicles

Department of Community Development

Reference:                      An Amendment to the Brighton Municipal Code Changing the Overhead Clearance Requirement to 14’ over Streets and 8’ over Sidewalks

To:                                                               Mayor Gregory Mills

Through:                                          Michael P. Martinez, City Manager

Prepared By:                                          Kyle Sylvester Assistant Director of Parks and Open Space                                          

Date Prepared:                     January 10, 2024

PURPOSE

A presentation at a City Council Study Session discussing a proposed ordinance to amend Brighton Municipal Code § 12-16-50.

BACKGROUND

Trees are considered living infrastructure for municipalities and provide many benefits to their communities. Trees are often planted in rights-of-way so their benefits can be maximized in a community setting. Per Municipal Code, the adjacent property owner must maintain and care for trees in the right-of-way regardless of whether the right-of-way is public or private. In some cases, as the tree canopies in Brighton’s neighborhoods are maturing, branches are encroaching into streets, making it very difficult for large vehicles to pass through.

Overhead clearance of trees is currently addressed in Section 12-16-50(4)(b) of Municipal Code. The current code is a bit vague and set to eight (8) feet for clearance.  Eight (8) feet is not sufficient enough clearance over streets for large vehicles such as fire trucks, ambulances, school buses, trash trucks, and delivery trucks to pass without sustaining some damage to vehicles and/or trees. Staff is requesting an amendment to this section of code to require fourteen (14) feet of overhead clearance for streets and eight (8) feet over sidewalks.

Staff proposed this ordinance amendment to Council at a study session on October 24^th 2023 and at a City Council session on November 7^th 2023. Per Council’s direction, staff was instructed to come back with reasonable measures and solutions for residents to follow that would help mitigate tree clearance issues in their neighborhood while minimally impacting property owners as much as possible.

Staff feels we have sufficiently answered Council’s questions and concerns from the November 7^th meeting and are now prepared to present our solutions to Council on January 23^rd.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION

City staff recommends amending Section 12-16-50(4)(b) to require 14 feet of clearance over roadways and 8 feet over sidewalks.

ATTACHMENTS

•                     Presentation