The committee considered language requiring any person or contractor who trims, prunes or removes trees that will block a public street to notify the Building Commissioner at least one business day before the work, or as soon as practical in an emergency.
Service Director Allen Pennington said one day is usually adequate for the city to notify police and fire and to arrange detours. "One day is usually adequate," he said, describing instances where contractors called the morning of work and the city responded.
Nut graf: Committee members pressed for stronger expectations that contractors also notify residents likely to be affected, and debated whether the requirement should be part of the ordinance or a permit condition; members suggested making neighborhood notification a permit condition and adding it to contractor registration to provide enforcement leverage.
Council members described frequent instances when landscapers block streets and residents receive no notice, creating traffic and access problems. Committee members proposed that registration or the work permit require contractors to use "best efforts" to notify immediate neighbors in the block and that the building department include a notification requirement in permit conditions. There was discussion about whether two days would be preferable to one to give neighbors more time to move vehicles.
The committee did not adopt a final time period. The Building Commissioner said the notification requirement could be enforced as a permit condition and that registration would give the city more leverage to require neighbor notification. The committee asked staff to draft clear permit conditions requiring contractors to notify the city and to encourage or require notice to immediate neighbors before blocking streets for tree work.
Ending: Staff will return with revised permit language and registration conditions that specify notification expectations for emergency and scheduled tree work.