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Illegal Tree Removal Fines May Rise03-02-07 | News

Illegal Tree Removal Fines May Rise




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"You've got plans for a $3 million home in Willow Glen and a $3,000 fine. There's just far too many people who will remove a tree," said Cortese.


David Cortese, a San Jose, Calif. city councilman announced recently that the city council will consider raising the fines for cutting down trees without a permit to $2,000 per year of the tree’s age.

The proposal comes shortly after the removal of three sycamore trees from a local neighborhood that recently angered residents.

The current city fines were increased last year but are still not high enough to deter illegal tree removal for future development, according to Cortese.

The owners of the property where the three sycamores were removed will be fined $4,500 and the landscapers that actually removed them will be fined the same amount, officials reported. The trees were estimated to be about 60 years old, so according to Cortese’s proposal the fines would have been $120,000.

The belief is that a larger deterrent of illegal tree removal would be a provision of the proposal that mandates that owners replace the removed trees. The council will consider the proposal soon and name Cortese vice mayor.

Source: Bay City News Wire

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