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Subscribe to City LineAugust 21, 2009
From the office of Mayor George Schloegel
I want you to know that I have instructed administration staff and city attorneys to work with members of the City Council in an effort to strengthen Gulfport’s tree preservation ordinance.
The goal is to bring an immediate end to the mass destruction of our natural canopy and to bring swift and substantial discipline to contractors who blatantly violate our preservation laws.
A few weeks ago, I had the unfortunate experience of seeing a massive clear-cut that included the demolition of mature magnolias on the north side of O’Neal Road, just across from Florence Gardens.
Our current tree ordinance only prohibits cutting certain trees on commercial sites, but does little to regulate the types of trees that can be demolished for residential development.
The current ordinance only requires saving oaks, magnolias, sweet bays, sweet gums and maples, which have a circumference of 25 inches or more, during the development of commercial property, not residential.
Before property can be cleared for commercial development, a tree advisor from our Urban Development Department inspects the site, surveys the trees and instruct the contractor on how to proceed.
The city wants similar mandates for new residential developments, along with strengthening the existing requirements for commercial property.
On commercial property, the city can currently issue fines and require the contractor to mitigate the damage by planting new trees to replace the ones that were destroyed during the development of the property. In addition, the mayor has the ability to recommend that the City Council revoke the contractor’s privilege license.
But if someone is developing a new residential subdivision, there is little the city can do to prevent the developer from scraping the land clean of all trees, no matter their age or size.
To bring an end to this practice, I am asking for your help. We need citizens to report any land clearing or demolition where large trees are possibly being cut without a permit. Residents can report such activity by calling 868-5700.
We have to begin taking significant steps toward preserving our natural green canopy and immediately adopting an ordinance protecting trees on residential property is a good start. We must act fast to stop this from happening again and our actions must send a clear message.
Make no mistake, we want to be a builder-friendly city, but to do that, builders have to cooperate with us. There are a few new developments in progress right now where not one piece of vegetation has been saved — not one — and that cannot and should not happen.
I invite our citizens to inspect the contrast on the north and south side of O’Neal Road. With a great deal of new development moving north of the Interstate, stronger tree regulations are needed now more than ever.
Gulfport is already a good city, but creating stronger laws that protect our natural canopy is yet another way that we are making Gulfport great.
Sincerely,
George Schloegel
Mayor
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The Gulfport Chamber currently is accepting applications for its Small Business Grant Program.
Chamber business members operating in Gulfport with 50 employees or less may be eligible for grants up to $2,500. The deadline to apply is Friday, Sept. 11.
To download an application, visit mscoastchamber.com, or call 604-0014.
Office of Public Information - rlafontaine@gulfport-ms.gov - Phone: 228-868-5782
P.O. Box 1780 Gulfport, MS 39502-1780 - FAX: 868-5800
