From: Paul Totah < >
Sent: Monday, June 19, 2023 9:10 AM
To: Petersen, Lisa <[email protected]>
Cc: Gail Shoemaker < >; Kai Martin < >; JEFF MOROSO
< >; Susan Miller < >; Sandy Ayers
< >; Sandy Ayers < >
Subject: $1000 fee
[CAUTION: External Email]
Dear Lisa,
We truly appreciate all the hard work of Public Works and our partnership on Arbor Day — a day that would never happen without the support of your department. Thank you also for correcting our last email. You are correct, of course, regarding the penalties and extra costs levied on folks who chose to violate the ordinance and who are caught and prosecuted.
However, we must respectfully disagree regarding the need for and wisdom concerning increasing tree permit fees to $1000.
Pacifica has been paying for the cost of reviewing tree permits for more than 40 years. This investment shows a commitment to the tree ordinance and all trees in our urban forest. This fee is not a cost of the new ordinance but a new way to pay for a task the city has been doing for years.
Our fear is that this increased fee will also encourage illegal removal of fees.
Yes, if a citizen violates the ordinance and is caught and prosecuted, then he or she will be fined the full replacement value of the tree; and while this could total more than the fee itself, this penalty, we believe, is unlikely to happen.
Code enforcement did not penalize those who violated the past tree ordinance due to a loophole in the municipal code. Has code enforcement ever levied penalties against citizens and companies that violated the new tree ordinance? If so, how many times and what were the consequences? Code enforcement only responds to complaints, and many citizens have no idea about the process to complain. There are already illegal tree removals, and they will only increase with this new fee.
Other cities have much lower tree permit fees. Here are two examples:
SSF
The non-refundable fee for a tree removal/pruning permit is $112.35 per tree. A $350 refundable "planting deposit" is also required for each tree removal. Refunds are made after all replanting conditions are met. No arborist report is required, but one is recommended; permit applications are reviewed by Zachary Kust, the maintenance supervisor, who is a licensed arborist and a full-time employee of SSF; there is no charge for his review of the certified arborist report. Citizens are given four months to replant, and the number of trees depends on size and species of tree (1, 2 or 3 / 1 bigger or two smaller; this is something Zach decides).
San Bruno
Pruning Permit Fee - $70
Tree Removal Permit Fee - $105
Private Tree Replacement In Lieu Fee - $415 (per tree removed) Private Tree Replacement Refundable Deposit - $415 (per tree removed) (this amount is refunded after the the city receives proof that the replacement trees have been planted)
San Bruno does require an arborist report but it doesn't charge for review; the person reviewing the arborist report for San Bruno is Dan Venezia, Parks Services Manager; he is not a certified arborist. The city also has a replanting requirement of 2 24-inch trees or 1 36-inch box tree per tree removed.
The purpose of Pacifica's tree ordinance is to protect all trees in urban forest, not just city trees. We urge the city to show a commitment to the tree ordinance by including the cost of an arborist in the upcoming budget. We sent an example of a reasonable contract with an arborist in a previous email (e.g. Pacific Grove). If the city is not willing to do this, then we hope that Pacifica will at least pay for the cost of reviewing tree permits.
Many thanks for your time and consideration.
All of us at Tree City Pacifica