A.“Certified Arborist” and “Certified Consulting Arborist” shall mean an individual who has demonstrated knowledge and competency through obtainment of the current International Society of Arboriculture arborist certification, or who is a member of the American Society of Consulting Arborists.

B.“City Forester” and “Urban Forester” shall mean the Monterey City Forester or his or her authorized designee.

C.“Cutting” shall mean the detaching or separating from a protected tree any limb, branch, or root. Cutting shall include pruning and trimming.

D.“Irreparable Damage” shall mean any action undertaken foreseeably leading to the death or permanent injury of the tree, or which places the tree in a hazardous condition or in an irreversible state of decline. This includes, but is not limited to, cutting, topping, girdling, poisoning, vandalizing, trenching or excavating within the dripline, altering the grade, paving in excess of fifty (50) percent of the dripline, excessive watering of oak trees, and excessive pruning.

E.“Developed parcel” shall mean any individual lot that is occupied by a principal building.

F.“Dripline” shall mean the outermost edge of the tree’s canopy. When depicted on a map, the dripline will appear as an irregular shaped circle that follows the contour of the tree’s branches as seen from overhead, or a minimum of fifteen (15) times the trunk diameter, measured four feet six inches (4'6") off the ground at DSH (Diameter Standard Height).

G.“Excessive Pruning” shall mean removing in excess of one quarter (25 percent) or greater of the functioning leaf, stem, or root area of a tree. Pruning in excess of twenty-five (25) percent is injurious to the tree and is prohibited unless approval is granted by the City Forester prior to initiating the work. Excessive pruning typically results in the tree appearing as a “bonsai,” “lion’s-tailed,” “lollipopped” or overly thinned.

H.“Local Landmark Tree” shall mean an outstanding, healthy, and prominent tree that is designated landmark in accordance to procedures established in this ordinance.

I.“Parks Superintendent” shall mean the Monterey Parks Superintendent or his or her authorized designee.

J.“Person” shall mean any person, partnership, firm, corporation, governmental agency, or other legal entity.

K.“Protected Tree” shall mean: a) trees located on a vacant private parcel that are more than two inches (2") in diameter when measured at a point four feet six inches (4'6") above the tree’s natural grade; and, b) trees located on a private, developed parcel that are more than six inches (6") when measured at a point four feet six inches (4'6") above the tree’s natural grade.

L.“Removal” shall mean completely taken from the site, cutting to the ground and/or extraction from the site.

M.“Shrub” shall mean a woody plant of relatively low height, distinguished from a tree by height and by having several stems.

N.“Tree” shall mean a perennial plant having a self-supporting woody main stem or trunk usually characterized by the ability to grow to considerable height and size, and the development of woody branches at some distance above the ground. Usually distinguished from a bush or shrub by size, manner of growth, and usual botanical nomenclature. Perennial shrubs are not classified as trees in this ordinance.

O.“Vacant parcel” shall mean an individual lot that is not occupied by a principal building or that area of a lot not occupied by a principal building that has sufficient location, width, depth and area to be subdivided from the larger lot under existing zoning regulations. (Ord. 3424 § 13, 2009)