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Residents press Birmingham Commission to consider citizen role in city tree policy after wave of removals
Summary
Residents presented a petition and FOIA-based analysis alleging hundreds of public-tree removals and urged the commission to solicit citizen input; commission voted to place further discussion of public tree policy and procedures on the next reasonable agenda for additional public comment and staff presentations.
A group of Birmingham residents urged the City Commission on July 14 to slow and better explain removals of city-owned trees and to involve citizens in shaping public-tree policy.
Rodney Lockwood, who said he submitted a FOIA request covering 2022–2024, told commissioners the records included about 950 tree reports and described removals of many large-diameter specimens. Lockwood and other petitioners asked the commission to consider an advisory or preservation body and to review whether the city’s tree-manual criteria are being applied consistently.
The issue prompted an extended presentation by Scott Zelensky of the Department of Public Services, who laid out the city’s inventory and practices.…
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