Mature Tree Preservation

On February 6, 2007, after a number of years of bringing the need to preserve our mature trees to the attention of the Tracy City Council, Evelyn Tolbert had an item placed on that evening's Council Agenda. The item heading was "Discussion and Director to Staff Regarding Adoption of a Mature Tree Ordinance".

The language of the Agenda Item was straight forward. It iterated that "Council Member Tolbert has expressed an interest and concern regarding protecting mature trees within the City of Tracy. Specifically, she desires to ensure that mature trees cannot be removed unless for good cause, and to establish a process to provide a review of proposed mature tree removals."

The staff report went on to list the number of benefits to the community because of the value of trees in: (A) Enhancing the natural scenic beauty, (B) Maintaining the ecology, (C) Moderating extreme temperatures, (D) Preventing topsoil erosion, and (E) Combating air pollution.

Although the reasons for proposing such a Mature Tree Preservation ordinance were sound and there was no dissension from the validity of the proposal, the ordinance was not adopted at that time.

City staff suggested that "If the Council is interested in establishing such regulations, probably the best way to do so would be in conjunction with the Zoning Ordinance update process."

The Options placed before the City Council by the City staff that evening were:

OPTION A - Discuss the various policy decision elements highlighted above and direct Staff to proceed with an ordinance draft based upon the outcome of those discussions; and/or

OPTION B - Direct Staff to develop and incorporate tree protection development regulations in the Zoning Ordinance update process; or

OPTION C - Take no action.

The City Council took no action that evening. However, it is the intent of Evelyn Tolbert to bring this proposal back to the City Council in the near future as the Zoning Ordinance update process takes place.

There is disagreement about a number of things that are negatively affecting our overall environment. But there is no disagreement that our air quality is deteriorating throughout the Central Valley.

Evelyn Tolbert believes that we must begin with some basic steps such as protecting our community's mature trees that produce the very oxygen that we breathe.

Evelyn Tolbert will not rest until Tracy begins to do its part in lessening the damage to our environment and incorporating protective measures to assure our children they will have a healthy world.