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Many trees are now fair game for felling
Only larger oaks and pines will be regulated.
By CRISTINA SILVA, Times Staff Writer
Published September 19, 2007
Attention, St. Petersburg homeowners: about that ugly tree in your yard, as long as it is not an oak or pine, you can now cut it down. A new city policy on tree removal states that only oak or pine trees that are at least 24 inches in diameter will now be regulated. "They are the most native species and they are the main trees that you have in Pinellas County that you would want to protect," said Cliff Footlick, parks director. The parks department will now oversee tree removal permits for residential properties. Before, residential property owners had to have the city's development services staff inspect their trees before they could have them chopped down. In what boils down to the latest perk of the property tax reform mandate, city officials recently decided to scale back the process. Environmentalists need not be alarmed. The change will not affect commercial property owners, who must continue to run all tree dilemmas by the city's development services department. Homeowners interested in obtaining a tree removal permit can call the mayor's action line at 727 893-7171. Cristina Silva can be reached at csilva@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8846.
[Last modified September 18, 2007, 22:59:41]
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by Michael
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09/21/07 03:04 PM
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The point is government has no business pushing unfunded mandates on private citizens. Big trees cost big money to maintain. Those of you who want big trees, plant them and shut up about it.
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by Paul
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09/21/07 02:36 PM
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Developers must be wetting their pants with glee over this. Just one step closer to them paving the entire county up to it 'highest and best use'... cough, cough, bull crap. One good hurricane will knock down all these condos, yippy!
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by Loretha
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09/21/07 08:22 AM
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Oh great. Now there will be less shade, less character to neighborhoods. Old people cut down trees & so do Bosnians. I wish things would stop being blamed for budget cuts. You only cut back ONE YEAR for crying out loud.
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by Marty S.
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09/20/07 10:41 PM
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I'm lubing my chain saw right now.
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by BillB
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09/20/07 10:18 PM
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The new policy of deregulating tree removal is incredibly regressive and short sighted. It gives no protection whatsoever to the many native plant species that that we are attempting to encourage in the city as alternatives to the exotic inundation.
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by Michael
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09/20/07 10:35 AM
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I find this sad news. The benefits of trees in urban environments far outway most of the trivial excuses I've heard for their removal in many years as a tree care professional. I hope city residents who care about trees will continue to protect them.
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