Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Council reduces penalty after appeal over removed heritage tree at 33 Hillrest Ave.
Summary
After public testimony and council debate over the tree's condition and the homeowner's mitigation plantings, Larkspur council set a reduced penalty of $3,200 for the unauthorized removal of a heritage tree and declined to require the staff-recommended replacement 24-inch oak on-site.
Larkspur 9999Oct. 1, 2025 9999The Larkspur City Council on Oct. 1 imposed a reduced penalty of $3,200 after hearing an appeal by the owner of 33 Hillrest Avenue who removed a heritage tree without a permit.
Staff had recommended upholding the municipal-code penalty, which included an arborist's appraisal of the removed tree at $3,200 plus staff and consultant costs that brought the city's total to about $7,231.0. An arborist retained by the city had used trunk circumference and condition factors to estimate the tree's value and recommended on-site replacement of a 24-inch box valley oak.
The property…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
