Council committee approves substitute to allow tree fund to pay for arboriculture staff, change mitigation rules

The Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee voted 8-0 on April 1 to approve a neighborhood substitute that changes how the city's Tree Fund can be used and modifies tree replacement and mitigation rules.

The substitute amends several ordinance sections to allow Tree Fund and Charter-funded dollars to pay for salary and benefits of not only the city arborist currently funded by the fund, but also additional landscape architects, arborists and urban foresters — subject to review by the Tree Commission for necessity before recommendations reach the mayor and council. The substitute also permits purchases of equipment related to tree-planting duties, with equipment expenditures over $75,000 subject to Tree Commission review.

Why it matters: Proponents said the fund contains excess dollars and more staff would let the city plant and maintain more trees across Jacksonville's large service area. Opponents and some council members warned the change could expand government scope or divert funds away from planting, and one proposed amendment to remove the staff-authorizing language was debated and defeated.

Major changes in the substitute

- Amends "section 111,760" (Tree Fund) to allow ordinance code funds to pay salaries and benefits for city landscape architects, additional city arborists and urban foresters when their duties relate to tree plantings and mitigation projects. - Authorizes use of ordinance/charter funds to purchase equipment necessary for tree-planting activities; equipment items over $75,000 require Tree Commission review prior to recommendation to mayor and council. - Amends replacement requirements (transcript reference: "section 6561206") to reduce the required caliper for replacement of removed exceptional specimen trees and protected live oaks from 4-inch caliper to 2-inch caliper, and permit grouping of smaller-caliper trees when certified by the city arborist or urban forester. - Provides a waiver of Tree Fund mitigation fees as an incentive for development of affordable or workforce housing. - Amends section "686.1208" to strike the previous 4-inch replacement requirement for illegally removed trees.

Committee debate and votes

Council Member Rory Diamond proposed an amendment to remove the portion of the substitute that would allow additional staff funded by the Tree Fund (referred to in the meeting as "section 1a"). He said he could support the rest of the substitute but viewed section 1a as a "shell game" that shifts money meant for trees into personnel and increases government scope. The Diamond amendment was seconded, debated and failed on a roll call/voice count.

Supporters, including the substitute sponsor, argued that the Tree Fund currently pays a single city arborist for a city larger than 800 square miles and that allowing use of the fund for additional arboriculture staff would increase tree-planting capacity without tapping the general fund. Philip Peterson of the Council Auditor's Office clarified that the substitute authorizes funding for additional positions but does not add positions immediately; any hiring would be subject to the usual budget process.

Public works and the Tree Commission

Steve Long of Public Works confirmed the ordinance already allows the Tree Fund to match up to 25% of the general fund amount budgeted for tree maintenance; if the general fund increases its maintenance spending, the Tree Fund's 25% contribution can rise in absolute dollars. Committee members and Tree Commission participants said the chief factor limiting tree planting has been staff capacity.

Vote and outcome

- Diamond amendment (to remove staff-authorizing language): motion and second recorded; amendment failed. - Final vote on neighborhood substitute (item 2025-102): 8 yeas, 0 nays; substitute approved.

What the substitute does not do

The substitute does not itself create or add new city positions; it changes permitted funding sources so that positions related to tree mitigation and planting could be paid from the Tree Fund in future budget cycles. Any actual hires would be considered through the annual budget process, the auditors and staff said.

Next steps

City departments and the Tree Commission will coordinate implementation details; any future position requests would be evaluated and approved during regular budget consideration.