Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Tree Removal topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board approves removal of centrally located live oak at 3103 S. Omar Ave; mitigation required
Summary
The Variance Review Board approved removal of a large live oak on a 10,000+ sq ft lot at 3103 South Omar Avenue, finding the tree’s near-center location made the lot impractical for FEMA-compliant replacement housing; full mitigation required per staff.
The Variance Review Board granted removal of a large live oak (grand tree) at 3103 South Omar Avenue after the owner showed the tree lies nearly in the middle of the lot and prevents construction of a FEMA-compliant new residence.
The petitioner, representing 365 Property Partners LLC, described the current house as flood-damaged by Hurricane Helene and said the structure cannot be repaired to meet FEMA reconstruction standards. Jerry Britt and supporting materials presented measurements showing the oak’s position relative to the lot and argued no feasible house layout could be built around the tree while meeting required setbacks and the city’s tree-protection rules. Staff’s Natural Resources memo noted the tree’s size (recorded as 39–41 inches DBH in filings) and that mitigation would require planting 23 Type 1 trees at 2.5-inch DBH if the tree is removed.
Neighbors and board members acknowledged the neighborhood’s heavy post-storm rebuilding but also expressed regret at losing a large tree. Staff clarified the lot-size threshold: smaller lots (≤6,500 sq ft) have a separate “tree removal zone” provision not applicable here because the lot is over 10,000 sq ft. Board members said alternative configurations had been explored and that the removal would enable a buildable, FEMA-compliant home; the motion to grant removal passed.
Action: Board voted to grant removal of the grand live oak at 3103 South Omar Avenue; mitigation requirements and permitting conditions (23 Type 1 replacement trees at 2.5-inch DBH or equivalent mitigation) were noted in staff materials.
Why it matters: The approval balances the city’s tree-protection policy with practical constraints driven by post-storm FEMA elevation and reconstruction requirements; staff-required mitigation preserves the city’s reforestation objectives.
Next steps: Applicant to comply with required mitigation planting or payment-in-lieu per Natural Resources rules and to submit permitting plans that address elevation, drainage and tree mitigation.
