2015-03-31 Infrastructure and Services Committee Meeting Agenda

INFRASTRUCTURE & SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                 31 MARCH 2015


COUNCIL POLICY

This policy is underpinned by the following guiding principles:

1.   Trees are valuable assets and must be managed accordingly;
2.   Council maintains a general commitment to the sustainable management of trees on public
     land and also the greening of open spaces.

3.   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.

4.   Council will provide an efficient and consistent response to resident requests for tree
     maintenance, planting and removal.

5.   Acknowledgement that certain trees may be trees of importance having particular cultural
     and/or heritage significance.

6. Trees on public land are protected, as far as possible, from damage during any construction
   activities.

The outcomes of this policy are:

1. Trees on public land are proactively maintained to ensure optimum outcomes for safety,
   ecological benefit, environmental benefit, economic benefit and public amenity.

2. Unauthorised interference with trees on Council land is prohibited and will be managed in
   accordance with local laws and relevant legislation.

3. Council will maintain a responsible approach to assessing dangers posed by trees in
   accordance with their type and their location as well as whatever hazards they may present.


DEALING WITH REQUESTS FOR TREE PRUNING AND REMOVAL

Council regularly receives requests to remove part or all of trees on land under its control.
Decisions as to whether to act on these requests will be made by Council's expert staff and/or
based on the assessment of skilled contractors hired for their expertise.

The risk of injury to persons and/or damage to private or public infrastructure will be assessed in
terms of:
a) the proximity of the tree to the infrastructure,
b) whether the tree is deemed to be a hazard to pedestrians or traffic,
c) whether the tree has interfered with or compromised infrastructure,
d) the condition and health of the tree,
e) fire risk, prevailing winds, and other potential climatic conditions,
f) the species of tree (noting that certain tree types are more inclined to drop limbs and/or fall
    over),
g) the age of the tree, given that a small sapling that could present future problems may be
    replaced by a less problematic species.

Trees will not be trimmed or removed to benefit scenic views.

Unless there are mitigating circumstances, Council will not remove trees to reduce leaf litter.




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