Lake City council amends tree ordinance to exempt city employees, utility workers from permanent-repair requirement

Lake City Mayor Umika Robinson and the City Council on March 25 voted to amend Section 12 of Ordinance 2025.001, the city's proposed tree ordinance, to state that the ordinance's public-tree maintenance requirement "shall not apply to city employees or utility workers for permanent repairs." The amendment was moved, seconded and approved with one abstention.

The change was proposed during discussion of public-tree maintenance standards after an initial motion to approve Ordinance 2025.001. The amendment language was read into the record as: "This requirement shall not apply to city employees or utility workers for permanent repairs." (Council member (unnamed in transcript)).

Why it matters: The ordinance sets the city's policy on trees on public and private property and establishes public-tree maintenance standards. Council members and staff spent most of the discussion clarifying who is responsible for planting and maintaining new trees, whether volunteers could shoulder maintenance tasks, and how existing partnerships with outside groups would interact with any new city responsibilities.

City staff and council members repeatedly said that the tree-planting activity completed so far had been on school or private property, with residents or school officials responsible for upkeep. City staff (Lisa) told the council that trees distributed through the Trees for SC grant program are typically the responsibility of the private owner after distribution and that the city has not created contractual maintenance obligations tied to Moore Farms. "There's nothing in the tree ordinance that specifies anything contractually with Moore Farms," Lisa said, describing Moore Farms as an external partner that has supported tree programs but not through a reimbursable contract.

Council members raised concerns that new public trees could create future maintenance obligations for city staff, especially if plantings increase over time. One speaker expressed concern that the ordinance's wording, as drafted, might require city employees to carry out ongoing pruning and cleanup in years to come and suggested relying more on volunteers. City staff responded that the proposed tree board would be an all-volunteer body intended to recruit and organize volunteers, pursue grant funding, and make recommendations to the city; staff also said the city would authorize and approve members of any city-established tree board.

Council and staff discussed the value of Tree City/Arbor Day Foundation programs and grants as potential funding sources for tree-related activities. Staff said participating in grant programs could attract additional funders for the city's tree efforts, but that planting trees on city property would create obligations the council would have to accept.

The council instruction recorded at the meeting: the amendment to Section 12 was adopted (vote recorded with one abstention). Council members indicated support for moving forward with the ordinance text as amended, and staff said they're willing to make further wording changes if the council identifies specific language to modify.

Ending: The council's amendment narrows the maintenance requirement in Section 12 to exclude city employees and utility workers performing permanent repairs. Staff and council members said they would continue to refine ordinance text as needed and pursue volunteer and grant strategies for tree programs.