The following activities are exempt from the requirement for tree removal permits:

    A.    Those activities associated with the establishment or alteration of any public park. However, the Grass Valley parks maintenance division shall file an annual plan in April with the tree plan administrator outlining proposed tree removal activities, and reporting on tree removal activities that were carried out in the previous year;

    B.    Removal of trees less than eight inches DBH, excluding those street trees within the public right-of-way planted at the direction of the city or required as conditions of approval with landscape improvements for planning actions;

    C.    Removal of trees less than eighteen inches DBH on any public lands; but excluding significant trees and street trees within the public right-of-way;

    D.    Removal of trees within any wildfire lands area of the city, as defined on adopted maps, for the purposes of wildfire fuel management;

    E.    Removal of dead trees;

    F.    Those activities associated with tree pruning or trimming for safety reasons, as mandated by the California Public Utilities Commission Rule 35, the Public Resource Code 4293 or the city engineer. However, the utility shall file: (1) an annual plan with the tree plan administrator identifying a list of trees within city limits which are targeted for pruning or removal within the year, (2) a notice with the tree plan administrator of when such pruning and removal work would occur in accordance with the annual plan. The notice shall be provided at least two weeks prior to undertaking the work, unless emergency conditions exist. Tree pruning or trimming shall be done, at a minimum, by a journeyman tree trimmer, as defined by the utility, and will be done in conformance and to comply with the standards established by the International Society of Arboriculture.

    G.    Removal of a tree constituting a nuisance recommended by the tree plan administrator with advance notice of consideration to the property owner and a subsequent determination by the planning commission. The property owner shall be given notice and provided at least ten days to respond to the tree plan administrator. The planning commission would only consider the request and make a determination if the owner is either nonresponsive or unwilling to remove the tree. Such trees shall be removed by the property owner within thirty days of receipt of a notice of such a determination from the city. (Ord. 646 § 2 (part), 2005)