Support right tree, right place concept
To the editor:
This week Civic sent the following letter to the mayor and council.
On January 26, you will have before you Ordinance 140-08 that proposes tree planting modifications to the existing ordinance. This will mark the fourth time in less than a year that changes to the existing
Ordinance 103-06 (which the majority of our citizens respect and abide by) have been proposed.
The Civic board of directors has again affirmed its opposition to the sort of thinking that allows the potential interruption of electric service ever since Ord. 88-08 first appeared last April. Ord. 88-08 would have allowed Royal Palms (which can grow to 80 feet) to be planted, on city-owned property, on the same side of the street as the power lines. That ordinance would have changed Ordinance 103-06, which specifically limits the type of trees (based upon a height limitation of 20 feet) planted in the city swales and lateral rights of way on the same side of the street with electric power lines. Ord. 103-06 was enacted to help insure continued electric services to our homes and businesses while providing latitude in the planting of specific trees and shrubs in areas where historically planting was prohibited. Ord. 103-06 embraces the principles of the right tree in the right place. Ord. 103-06 also ensures that we are not reading about people like the man who just a few weeks ago received an electric shock and fell 30-foot fall off his ladder while trimming trees on Matlacha Boulevard, just north of Pine Island Road. Fortunately after months of delays that ordinance failed in August.
Subsequently a new ordinance 119-08, was considered on November 3. That ordinance was substantially worse than Ord. 88-08 in that it allowed for any and all trees to be planted anywhere. The following week during his report, the sponsor asked for reconsideration, which was also defeated.
Ordinance 140-08 is identical to 119-08 in that it also allows for any and all trees to be planted anywhere. Ordinance 140-08, like its failed predecessors; 88-08 and 130-08 does not and most likely can not financially hold individual property owners directly responsible for any and all required maintenance by the power company to maintain trees from contacting with the power lines. As a result we all bear the costs for expensive tree trimming through our electric rates.
Approval of Ord. 140-08 would only exacerbate a situation where more trees will need trimming leading to increased rates, potential fires when trees are contacted with power lines, or injury to those touching a branch or trunk contacting a power line.
The Cape Coral Civic Association supports the “Right Tree, Right Place” concept as opposed to seeing a proliferation of the Cape Coral “V-Cut” or Lopsided Palm species. Civic encourages you to reject Ord. 140-08.
Thank you in advance for your consideration.
Ralph LePera,
President, Civic