 |
|
Home ·
Amendment ·
Summary · FAQs ·
About Us |
Group to launch petition for stronger tree protectionBy Karen Rivedal About a dozen residents are taking their plea for stronger tree protection to the people of Jacksonville with a petition drive to make standards in the city's charter stricter. The group, Citizens for Tree Preservation Inc., are holding a news conference to kick off the drive at 10:30 a.m. today at Hemming Plaza across from City Hall at 117 W. Duval St. If members get enough signatures over the coming weeks, they plan to put a proposed referendum setting minimum standards for tree protection on the Nov. 4 ballot. While city law now requires home builders to preserve or pay for hardwoods at least 6 feet in circumference, the group would start protecting trees at half that size. "We believe the citizens of Jacksonville want strong environmental laws that preserve our natural resources," group leader Bill Brinton, a Jacksonville lawyer, said yesterday. "This is an opportunity for citizens countywide to participate in the process." Group members are turning to a referendum after being disappointed by the council's approval of a new tree protection law they say isn't strong enough. That law, originally sponsored by Mayor John Delaney, went into effect Feb. 1, but it would be unenforceable if the charter was changed. The group needs about 21,000 signatures to get on the ballot. City Council leaders involved in the tree law debate said residents were welcome to mount a referendum drive but questioned if a ballot question could be worded properly to reflect the complexities of the issue. "It's fine, so long as the public is fully informed about what they would be changing," said Councilman Lake Ray. Council President Ginger Soud said yesterday the council's work on the tree law involved "balancing a concern for trees with other rights and needs," such as affordability and drainage. And Councilman Lad Daniels said the city's new law was a "short-term fix" that could be modified after studying how it works for a while. The citizens group's measure of protection is similar to the tree law that was on the books in Jacksonville since 1988, but was mistakenly never applied to home builders. For more information about the petition drive, call 722-TREE. |
|
Home ·
Amendment ·
Summary · FAQs ·
About Us |
© 2000 by Citizens for Tree
Preservation, Inc. |