2015-03-31 Infrastructure and Services Committee Meeting Agenda

INFRASTRUCTURE & SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                 31 MARCH 2015


2.    PROPOSED TREE MANAGEMENT POLICY

Author            Civil Operations Manager, Allan Hull
                  Planning & Infrastructure Department

Index             ECM/Subject/Governance and Executive/Council Policies

Attachments       1.   Proposed Council Policy - Tree Management on Public Land


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not applicable

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Civil Operations Manager to the Infrastructure & Services
Committee Meeting dated 31 March 2015 and adopt the Council Policy – Tree Management on
Public Land as set out in Attachment 1 to the report.


REPORT
Trees form a major element of the urban landscape and provide a range of benefits apart from
their visual amenity including improving air quality, stormwater management and energy
reduction as well as providing homes and food for our local wildlife.

This policy has been developed to ensure that trees on public land are managed in a consistent,
transparent and sustainable manner, in accordance with all relevant legislation and are
recognised and treated as valuable assets of the community.

The Policy covers trees on public land under Council’s control but does not include conservation
lands or bushland reserves except where they abut private property. Declared pest plants, trees
and native vegetation removed under a permit or approval (where offset planting must be
provided as a condition) and regrowth in constructed drains, firebreaks and the like are also
excluded.

The intent of the policy is to achieve its outcomes through the adoption of the following guiding
principles:
•     Trees are valuable assets and must be managed accordingly;
•     Council maintains a general commitment to the sustainable management of trees on public
      land and also the greening of open spaces.
•     Unavoidable removal of trees from public land may be offset with planting to ensure there
      is no net loss of trees on Council controlled land.
•     Council will provide an efficient and consistent response to resident requests for tree
      maintenance, planting and removal.
•     Acknowledgement that certain trees may be trees of importance having particular cultural
      and/or heritage significance.
•     Trees on public land are protected, as far as possible, from damage during any
      construction activities.

In addition, the Policy provides direction for dealing with requests for tree pruning and removal.


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