2022-08-09 Services & Organisation Committee Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                        9 AUGUST 2022


 Section Heading             Summary of Changes

 Policy Background and       Addition of “trees provide social, cultural, economic and environmental
 Context                     benefits” to give more context.
                             Addition of a paragraph introducing and summarising the Guiding
                             Principles operational document and how it applies to informing tree
                             management decisions.

 Policy Objectives           A following objectives have been modified:
                                 • Addition of “best practice” into the second objective, as well as
                                     reference to the Guiding Principles
                                 • Addition of “consistent with relevant Australian Standards” into the
                                     fourth objective
                                 • Addition of “planting in a suitable location” into the fifth objective
                                 • Addition of “acknowledge, maintain and protect trees” into the
                                     seventh objective

 Dealing with Requests for   A number of points have been added or modified to the list of type works
 Tree Pruning and            that Council may agree to, including emphasis and inclusion of the
 Removal                     phrase “dead, dying and dangerous” as well as inclusion of works in
                             roadside management zones.

                             A number of points have been added or modified to the list of type works
                             that Council will not agree to, including removals for personal
                             preference, termites, TV, radio or satellite reception. In addition
                             modification to better justify existing points around trees with large
                             branch failure history, evidence required for claims of tree root damage
                             to private property infrastructure, and trees causing allergies or health
                             issues.

 Replacement Trees and       Added text to this section which outlines an offset tree register being
 Offsets                     kept.
                             Also text added outlining that residents are not to plant trees on the road
                             reserve, which eliminates the “wrong tree in the wrong location” issue.

 Roles and                   No change.
 Responsibilities
 Definitions                 No change.

 Relevant Legislation /      No change.
 Standards


Previous Council Consideration
Ordinary Meeting, 21 June 2018, Item 3, Page 21
That Council note the report by the Civil Operations Manager to the Services & Organisation
Committee Meeting dated 12 June 2018, repeal the current Tree Management on Public Land
Policy, and adopt the revised Council Policy – Tree Management on Public Land as set out in
Attachment 1 to the report with an amendment to the Policy Objectives, item 5 to read as follows:
5.      Where it is unavoidable that trees are to be removed from public land, Council will
        arrange an offset planting.
Finance
There are no costs associated with the implementation of the updated policy.
Risks & Opportunities
The intent of the policy revisions are to provide additional clarification on Council’s position
relating to tree related issues. This will assist tree management staff when responding to
customer requests.
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