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DeLand commission allows removal of 62 "historic" trees for Tech Park; developer to preserve 10‑acre mitigation parcel
Summary
The commission approved a request to remove 62 historic trees across the Deland Tech Park site, accepting an off‑site mitigation plan that preserves a roughly 10‑acre parcel and requires on‑site canopy plantings. The tree advisory committee recommended planting 62 six‑inch canopy trees on site in addition to the conserved parcel.
The City of DeLand City Commission voted to approve the removal of 62 trees classified as historic on the Deland Tech Park site, accepting a mitigation package that preserves a roughly 10‑acre parcel north of Casadega Road and requires additional on‑site canopy plantings.
The action came after a presentation from acting city forester Mary Ellen Calabrio and attorneys for the applicant outlining the development plan and mitigation proposal. “The applicant has requested to remove these 62 trees for the construction of the project,” Calabrio told the commission during the discussion.
Why it matters: the site sits inside an activity center around the SR‑472/MLK interchange that has been planned for employment and industrial uses for decades. Commissioners and the tree advisory committee framed the question as a tradeoff between economic development (jobs and commercial infrastructure) and tree canopy preservation in an area that includes several mature live oaks.
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