CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
SEVENTEENTH COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO. R-07-267 ENACTMENT NO. __________________
SPONSORED BY: Isaac Benton
RESOLUTION
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For a Period of Six Months, Or Until This Resolution Is Earlier Withdrawn, Prohibiting Any City Employee Or Any Party Acting Pursuant To A Contract With The City From Removing Any Tree On City Land Or Under City Control Without The Written Authorization of The City Forester; Declaring An Emergency (Benton)
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FOR A PERIOD OF SIX MONTHS, OR UNTIL THIS RESOLUTION IS EARLIER WITHDRAWN, PROHIBITING ANY CITY EMPLOYEE OR ANY PARTY ACTING PURSUANT TO A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY FROM REMOVING ANY TREE ON CITY LAND OR UNDER CITY CONTROL WITHOUT THE WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION OF THE CITY FORESTER; DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
WHEREAS, on May 30, 2007, the Director of Family and Community Services was contacted by a City Councilor and asked to explain the reasoning behind her Department's actions in removing mature trees at the Gonzales/Sunset Gardens Housing Development; and
WHEREAS, on June 4, 2007, the City Councilor contacted the City's Chief Administrative Officer to request that the Director of Family and Community Services attend the City Council meeting to explain her Department's actions in removing mature trees; and
WHEREAS, the Director of Family and Community Services has failed to explain the reasoning behind her Department's actions and the City's Chief Administrative Officer declined to produce that Director at the City Council meeting and has himself not subsequently explained the reasoning behind the removal of mature trees; and
WHEREAS, the unexplained removal of mature trees is ongoing and is reportedly intended to be repeated at other sites which are under the ownership and/or control of the City; and
WHEREAS, the unexplained removal of mature trees on property that is under the ownership and/or control of the City is causing great distress to those residents of the City who have come to appreciate these trees; and
WHEREAS, the removal of mature trees causes a decrease in shading and an increase in the expenditure of energy to provide cooling, which contradicts the City's adopted goals for energy conservation and sustainability; and
WHEREAS, there may be situations where the removal of mature trees on property that is under the ownership and/or control of the City may be appropriate and necessary, but the Administration's failure to provide any explanation for its actions raises legitimate concerns about the policy or lack of a coherent policy behind such removal.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE:
Section 1. That for a period of six months, or sooner if this resolution is repealed by the City Council, no employee of the City of Albuquerque and no contractor acting under a contract with the City shall remove any mature tree on property that is under the ownership and/or control of the City.
Section 2. This resolution shall not apply to any mature tree as to which the reason for removal has been explained to and approved by the City Forester or to any trees that are part of City facilities managed and operated by the Parks and Recreation Department.
Section 3. The City Forester is specifically charged with the authority to approve removal or deny approval for the removal of any tree which is subject to the provisions of this resolution.
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