City Council seeks better tree protection | savannahnow.com

City staff presented proposed ordinance changes to the Savannah City Council Thursday to better protect the city’s trees, but Mayor Edna Jackson and aldermen said the revisions do not go far enough in making sure developers are held accountable when they break the rules.

The most significant changes proposed include the introduction of a new “specimen” class of protected trees, which would offer more incentives for preservation of trees with at least a 24-inch diameter trunk and require additional mitigation for their removal.

In addition to receiving more points for preserving specimen trees, developers would receive more points than the current amount given for designating certain trees “exceptional,” which are permanently protected from being cut down, even if the property is sold.

via City Council seeks better tree protection | savannahnow.com.