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General Plan Biological Resources Policy Update

General Plan Biological Resources Policy Update

The General Plan Biological Resources Policy Update Project consists of the adoption of a General Plan Amendment to the biological resources policies, objectives and implementation measures in the General Plan Conservation and Open Space Element; Adopting an Oak Resources Management Plan (update of the 2008 Oak Woodland Management Plan); Establishing an In-Lieu Mitigation Fee to mitigate impacts to Oak Woodland Areas and Individual Oak Trees; adopting an Oak Resources Conservation Ordinance; and certifying the Environmental Impact Report (EIR).


ORMP/Ordinance Fact Sheet
Frequently Asked Questions
Oak Resources Management Plan
Oak Resources Conservation Ordinance (sections bookmarked for easier reference)
In-Lieu Mitigation Fee
Oak Resources Removal Process Flow Chart
Oak Resources Technical Report Checklist
Oak Resources Code Compliance Certificate

On October 24, 2017, the Board of Supervisors approved the General Plan Biological Resources Policy Update Project and took the following actions:

  1. Certified the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Project;
  2. Adopted a General Plan Amendment that is a comprehensive update of the biological resources policies, objectives and implementation measures 
    in the Land Use Element and Conservation and Open Space Element of the County’s General Plan;
  3. Adopted an Oak Resources Management Plan (ORMP) that replaces the 2008 Oak Woodland Management Plan;
  4. Adopted an In-Lieu Mitigation Fee to mitigate impacts to oak woodland areas and individual oak trees; and
  5. Adopted an Oak Resources Conservation Ordinance to implement the ORMP.

The new Ordinance becomes effective on November 23, 2017 and the In-Lieu Mitigation Fee will take effect on December 23, 2017.
Links to the Resolutions and Ordinance adopted and executed on October 24, 2017 including the Final EIR are below.

Resolution 127-2017 – Certifying the Final EIR
 Exhibit A – CEQA Finding of Fact
 Exhibit B – CEQA Statement of Overriding Considerations
 Exhibit C – Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
 Final Environmental Impact Report, February 2017

Resolution 128-2017 – Adopting Amendment to General Plan Biological Resources Policies, Objectives, and Implementation Measures
 Exhibit A – El Dorado County General Plan Conservation and Open Space Element

Resolution 129-2017 – Adopting an Oak Resources Management Plan
 Exhibit A – Oak Resources Management Plan, September 2017

Resolution 130-2017 – Establishing an In-Lieu Mitigation Fee to Mitigate Impacts to Oak Woodland Areas and Individual Oak Trees

Ordinance No. 5061 – Adopting an Oak Resources Conservation Ordinance to Implement the Oak Resources Management Plan

Note:  A minor typographical error was found in the Ordinance on page 4, definition of Individual Native Oak Tree(s), end of last sentence:
“…10 but less than 3ssix dbh.” should read as “…10 inches dbh and is not a Heritage Tree.”

​​General Plan Biological Policies

The Conservation and Open Space Element of the County’s General Plan adopted in July 2004 includes a subsection pertaining to Conservation of Biological Resources. One of the objectives (7.4.4: Forest and Oak Woodland Resources) is to “protect and conserve forest and woodland resources for their wildlife habitat, recreation, water production, domestic livestock grazing, production of a sustainable flow of wood products, and aesthetic values.”

PolicyBrief DescriptionGeneral Plan Page No.
7.4.2.8Develop within five years and implement an Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) that identifies important habitat preservation and management.146-147
7.4.2.9The Important Biological Corridor (-IBC) overlay shall apply to lands identified as having high wildlife habitat values because of extent, habitat function, connectivity, and other factors.148-149
7.4.4.4For all new development projects (not including agricultural cultivation and actions pursuant to an approved Fire Safe Plan necessary to protected existing structures, both of which are exempt from this policy) hat would result in soil disturbance on parcels that (1) are over an acres and have at least1 percent total canopy cover or (2) are less than an acre and have at least 10 percent total canopy cover by woodlands as defined by this General Plan and determined from base line aerial photography or by site survey performed by a qualified biologist or licenses arborist, the County shall require one of two mitigation options: (1) the project applicant shall adhere to the tree canopy retention and replacement standards described (in Options A and B); or (2) the project applicant shall contribute to the County’s Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) conservation fund described in Policy 7.4.2.8.150-151
7.4.4.5Where existing individual or a group of oak trees are lost within a stand, a corridor of oak trees shall be retained that maintains continuity between all portions of the stand. The retained corridor shall have a tree density that is equal to the density of the stand.151
7.4.5.1A tree survey, preservation, and replacement plan shall be required to be filed with the County prior to issuance of a grading permit for discretionary permits on all high-density residential, multifamily residential, commercial, and industrial projects. To ensure that proposal replacement trees survive, a mitigation monitoring plan should be incorporated into discretionary projects when applicable and shall include provisions for necessary replacement of trees.151
7.4.5.2It shall be the policy of the County to preserve native oaks wherever feasible, through the review of all proposed development activities where such trees are present on either public or private property, while at the same time recognizing individual rights to develop private property in a reasonable manner. To ensure that oak tree loss is reduced to reasonable acceptable levels, the County shall develop an Oak Tree Preservation Ordinance.151-153

Related Links

Fact Sheet

Frequently Asked Questions

Attachments