(a)
Notwithstanding any provision of this article or of Section 4581, no public agency shall be required to submit a timber harvesting plan or file an application for conversion with the board where the purpose of its timber operations is to construct or maintain a right-of-way on its own or on any other public property.
(b)
Removal of trees for subdivision development, except on lands zoned as a timberland production zone pursuant to Section 51112 or 51113 of, and as defined in subdivision (g) of Section 51104, of the Government Code, where the subdivision has had a tentative subdivision map approved and a subdivision use permit granted by the city or county having jurisdiction, may be exempted by regulation from the provisions of this article, if the exemption is consistent with the purposes of this chapter.