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Council orders Tree Trust reimbursement, moves to limit trust to Type 1 and 2 plantings

Tampa City Council · January 9, 2026

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Summary

After staff documented ~270 tree transactions with an average cost estimate for the work, council agreed to a ~$210,000 reimbursement to make the water department whole and directed staff to draft an ordinance limiting the tree trust fund to Type 1 and Type 2 tree plantings; staff to return Feb. 19 with the ordinance.

Council discussed charges to the Central and South Tampa Tree Trust funds that included work associated with tree plantings, stump grinding, dirt work and sod. Rory Jones of the Water Department said the average cost per the 270‑tree sample totaled roughly $206,216. Council approved a compromise to move $210,000 (rounded) to reconcile the accounts from a combination of tree trust and City CIP funds and directed staff to prepare a proposed ordinance to restrict Tree Trust Fund expenditures to Type 1 and Type 2 tree plantings only. The requested ordinance was scheduled for council consideration with staff to return Feb. 19 with draft language.

Council members asked for clearer internal agreements and recommended that future cross‑departmental work be accompanied by a memorandum of understanding or a formal interdepartmental agreement specifying scope, payment source and limits. Council also asked staff to return a budget amendment on the consent docket for the Jan. 22 meeting to execute the reimbursement.