Committee Seeks Better Tree Protection

Fairhope, Alabama 

 

Tree protection inadequate?

 

August Tree Committee.

ORDINANCE LANGUAGE CREATING CONFUSION

The city's Tree and Parks Committee has been meeting to discuss changes to city ordinances to better protect the city's trees.

Planning Director Hunter Simmons says conflicts between sections of the zoning and tree ordinances often cause confusion; one example being the new office building now under construction at 314  Magnolia Avenue where several heritage trees were removed to make way for a parking area. City staffers/committee members disagreed about how the ordinance applied for this project in the Central Business District, due to the confusing wording.

Another issue is the type of fencing required around trees to be protected: plastic ones called for in the law provide little actual protection -- as opposed to more-durable chain link, Simmons said.

Other problematic issues include better-defining what constitutes a "dangerous" tree or replacing that word completely; reconciling different buffer requirements between the two ordinances; reconciling different site plan requirements; and possibly adding an appeal of any city horticulturist's decision to an independent, certified arborist.

Also, some committee members expressed regrets about consenting to removal of two magnolia trees at a proposed new condominium development at 101 Fairhope Avenue, across from Knoll Park. The developer had appealed to the committee for removal after being denied by the city's horticulturist.

The planning commission's decision is still pending on that project.

Paul Fontenot is the current tree committee chairman.

314 Magnolia Avenue trees removed.