St. Pete may go out on limb, require permits to trim trees

ST. PETERSBURG Trimming mature or so-called grand trees and clearing house lots in the city could become more complicated.

The city council is expected to consider an ordinance Thursday that would require a permit even to trim any tree that measures more than 30 inches in diameter at chest height. It also would require builders to leave at least two trees on each housing lot, defined as 5,800 square feet or more, that they propose to clear for construction.

Councilman Steve Kornell, who pushed for the changes, said the goal is to keep and protect the citys tree canopy, and also to help residents ward off overzealous or unscrupulous tree trimmers. Careless trimmers can damage or kill trees, and some have gone door-to-door trying to persuade homeowners to do questionable or illegal work.

Complaints about one particular operator brought the issue to light about a year ago, Kornell said. It took several months to get this guy to stop doing this, he said.

The amended ordinance requiring permits for trimming wouldnt affect developers, but rather it is aimed at helping and protecting residents and resolving confusion regarding what is and isnt allowed, Kornell said.

A committee of residents and city staff members began meeting on the issue about a year ago. A public hearing about the ordinance is scheduled for Dec. 18.

We encourage people to keep mature trees, just to keep more tree canopy, Kornell said. I think theres a lot of value to it. Even on the interstate, sometimes you can drive and see nothing but trees, and it really looks nice. We just want to make sure it stays protected.

Kornell hopes later to add a requirement to put all permits on the citys website so residents can check if they have questions about tree-trimming operations they see. It just makes things more transparent, he said.

It also can protect homeowners, who could be responsible for fines for illegal tree removals. Already, he said, the city Parks and Recreation Department can answer questions about how to choose a credible tree trimmer or what credentials to seek, or maybe even suggest contacting an arborist.

Protecting grand trees increasingly has become an issue in cities. Safety Harbor is developing a new tree ordinance after 14 mature trees were chopped down to make way for a parking lot at the Safety Harbor Resort and Spa in September. The city commission imposed a moratorium on tree removal permits until April as it considers expanding the definition for a grand tree, higher permit fees, stricter fines for violators and the replacement of trees that are removed.

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St. Pete may go out on limb, require permits to trim trees