Pensacola Planning Board voted unanimously Tuesday to approve revisions to city tree and landscape regulations after Emerald Coastkeepers and developers finally agreed on the size that defines a heritage tree— 34-inch tree diameter.
Coastkeepers proposed heritage trees be designated at 24-inch diameter, while Moulton representatives favored 44 inches.
According to the PNJ, other changes include:
* Clarifying the definition of heritage trees by size and species. Native trees, except for water and laurel oaks, would fall under the heritage tree definition.
* Doubling the fee from $250 to $500 for every protected tree removed from residential or commercial property that is not replanted or replaced according to the ordinance standards.
* Including residential property under the umbrella of the ordinance. The ordinance now refers only to commercial property.
* Establishing a better definition of “best management practices” for developers when it comes to urban landscaping.
* Assigning responsibility for certifying tree plans for proposed developments to architects, civil engineers or landscape architects. When a developer submits plans for a project, this person would be responsible for making sure the intent of the tree code is followed.
