Winter Park has a complicated and penal tree ordinance because of extreme viewpoints of city staff, board members, and commission members. You don’t need to get caught up in this regulatory tree madness.
All Winter Park residential property owners need to be aware that state law supersedes city code when it comes to tree removals. Under state law, a residential property owner can prune, trim, or remove a tree without a city permit and without penalty or tree replacement if the property owner possesses documentation from an arborist certified by the ISA or a Florida licensed landscape architect that the tree poses an unacceptable risk to persons or property.
If you don’t get the documentation required by state law you are subject to our ridiculously complicated and penal city ordinance, a revised version of which is now coming before the city commission for approval. This ordinance offers absurdly detailed rules and penalties while hiding the existence of the state law you could otherwise avail yourself of. This revised tree ordinance can even fine you if you use state law to remove a tree but fail to file the documentation with the city within 10 days of removal.
Don’t call city staff if you have a tree removal question. Call an independent certified arborist or Florida licensed landscape architect first.
The really, really ridiculous part of this nonsense is the elitist, top-down attitude that if you oppose a governmental control of your private property, (your trees, lawn, shrubs) you don’t “care” about the environment. Look around WP. Residents take extraordinary care of their private property and some/maybe most, pay premium prices to maintain a beautiful landscape. Builders know buyers love trees and when it makes sense, they try to keep them all.
Why is this faux issue bubbling up? That is the real issue.
The issue is “bubbling up” again because Winter Park boards are filled with “Karens” who mistakenly believe their job is to impose their will, rather than understand and thoughtfully represent the best interests of the residents.