Tree concerns subject of Joint City-County Meeting

Submitted by Susan Hardee Steger
September 2, 2015 2:46 p.m.

Concerned citizens, many involved with the Amelia Island Tree Conservancy took advantage of the Joint City-County meeting held on August 28 to voice their displeasure over tree removals taking place on development sites throughout Amelia Island. Of particular interest was the recent tree clearing on the former McArthur property on the Buccaneer Trail in Amelia City. Several years ago, the Nassau County Commission was urged to buy the property, but they declined.

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Former McArthur property. Photo taken September 2, 2015.

 

The subject of trees was not on the agenda but citizens spoke to the issue during public comment.

Public Comments:

Chris Occhuizzo, spoke of the recent “unrestrained development” that is causing a “tidal wave of public outcry.” He believes there is “a void between those who want to protect the island’s natural beauty and developers who want to maximize land use.” Although he respects the concept of property rights, he believes we need to look at “how they [property rights] are defined and how they fit into “today’s world and into the greater good.”

Occhuizzo noted participation in the Amelia Island Tree Conservancy, and Amelia Island EarthKeepers is growing in numbers, talents, and resources and [they] want to be part of [the county] process as a volunteer citizens board to implement a vision and cooperate with citizens, developers, and government for the benefit of all.

Diana Herman spoke as a member of steering committee of the Amelia Island Tree Conservancy and said we are so angry over the recent “gouging” of the McArthur Estate. The property looks as if “a bomb had hit it.” “Tree Ordinances are in place and it is now very obvious they are inadequate if something of this magnitude can take place.” For the future of our community “we need to change our thinking regarding the tree canopy and prioritizing what is best for the public good.”

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A remaining portion of the trees. September 2, 2015.

Arthur Herman a retired award winning landscape architect and former teacher at the New York Botanical Gardens finds the Nassau County Tree Ordinance for the unincorporated area of Amelia Island “convoluted, hard to understand” and difficult to enforce. Herman suggests an Island wide arborist be hired to protect the island environment. “When you cut down an area with native mature trees you are changing the environment. You are establishing a whole different atmosphere for the trees.” We must be cognizant of the topography of the land. We must provide protection and maintenance of canopy trees. “We have what other cities and town and communities dream about.” Without oversight, a contractor is left to do what he wants to do.

Margaret Kirkland presented proposed changes to tree ordinance to the commissioners requesting an urban forest management plan . . . . with a tree ordinance that is understandable clear and concise and protects the remaining tree canopy . . .” She does not believe the current ordinance “has teeth.” Although the Amelia Island Tree Conservancy participated in drafting first tree ordinance, changes were made. Kirkland said plans should require site specific plan and must work around trees.

DSCN0050Jo Anne Bean holding a “save the trees” sign spoke against the McArthur’s trees being removed. Noting other island developments, she asked that officials consider a moratorium “until governments can get a handle on this.” It is her opinions that the penalty for illegal removal of trees be so high that [people] won’t cut them down. “Do something!”

Julie Ferreira – Our tree canopy should be considered infrastructure that we work around and try to preserve. She asked the county to bring tree ordinance proposed in 2006 and to rework it.  At that time the proposed ordinance, according to Ferreira, was considered too radical but “maybe it isn’t too radical now.” She suggests an island wide ordinance.

In addition, she asked city-county officials to work together to create a GPS inventory of all island trees including private land and create a data base that shows location of specimen trees, canopy locations, size, and condition. When individuals or developers come, there is information available for a site specific plan that can save the resources. She said the public is tired of tree ordinances that permit the developers to strip or nearly strip trees to make things bare.

County Commissioner Comment

Commissioner Danny Leeper: After Flash Foods when an excessive number of trees were removed,  the Amelia Tree Conservatory came forward and met with county planning and the zoning board and made changes to the ordinance, . . . now we see another development and we are always tweaking the tree ordinance. “Maybe we can make changes.”

At the conclusion of the joint county-city meeting after a decision was made to move forward with an MSTU for beach renourishment, and agreement was made to address the condition of a county sidewalk on Citrona, Leeper said, “We have proven once again that the city and the county can work together. That is a great thing.”