TAMPA, Fla. — There’s a growing push to help protect trees in Tampa. It comes as a business faces a big fine for removing trees from a property a few years ago.
“Tampa is known for having one of the best tree canopies in the nation and in the world, as a matter of fact,” said Mayor Jane Castor.
On Monday, Castor made it clear the importance of protecting the city’s tree canopy. The city said three years after a tree cutting business removed many trees at a former mobile home park off West Gandy Boulevard, a circuit court judge upheld a fine against Miller and Sons LLC.
“They were found in violation and assessed the largest fine in the city of Tampa’s history, over $234,000 fine for illegally cutting these trees down,” said Castor.
ABC Action News shared the story about this tree cutting back in August 2019. The city reminded that was a month after the state legislature passed a law banning local regulation of dangerous trees on residential property.
A court opinion stated the Gandy property was not zoned residential.
“What we have also taken on is to educate the community, educate businesses, educate developers, one about the importance of our tree canopy, but also the rules as they apply to what permits you need, what trees can be taken down, and which ones are illegal to destroy,” said Castor.
“This year alone, we’ve planted 607 trees, and we’ve also given away over 800 trees to the community,” said Kristina Moreta, the Education and Event Coordinator with Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful.
Moreta shared there are many benefits to keeping those trees around.
“Clean air, less stress, less crime, beautification to an area,” said Moreta, “There are so many benefits to trees out there.”
The city said this year, the legislature amended the 3-year-old tree cutting law, and the City of Tampa recently issued a memorandum to help the public better understand the city’s regulations on tree removals.
Jonathan Lee, the owner of Miller and Sons Tree Management, told ABC Action News in a statement they will file an appeal through the District Court of Appeals regarding the Circuit Court’s decision to uphold the magistrate’s imposed fine.
