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Residents urge Pasco County to spare and historicize courthouse live oak as commissioners seek arborist review
Summary
Multiple longtime Dade City residents told commissioners the mature live oak on the courthouse north lawn should be designated as a historic tree and spared from planned removal, citing arborist reports and concerns that removing it could damage nearby memorial structures.
Dozens of residents urged the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners on Aug. 5 to halt plans to remove a large live oak on the courthouse north lawn and to formally recognize it as a historic tree.
At public comment, Diane Redmond, a lifelong Dade City resident, warned the board that cutting the tree could damage the memorial bandstand’s underground structure, saying the tree’s roots “literally will destroy the structure” if removed. Kevin Tagerty, who said he represented roughly 20 supporters, asked the board to register “Live Oak No. 7” as a historic tree, citing arborist reports from 2015 and 2025 that did not recommend removal and an estimate that the oak is 200–250 years old. “This tree has lived under Great Britain. It’s lived under Spain and now the United States,” Tagerty said, urging the board to halt plans to remove it and to reject replacing it with sable palms.
Barbara Barthol said she had already obtained forms to request a historic-landmark designation through the City of Dade City and intends to pursue city designation first, then county review. Karen Manard of the Dade City Garden Club noted that Dade City holds a Tree City USA designation and that municipal code can limit removal: she said trees exceeding 40 inches in diameter at breast height cannot be removed under the city’s rules without a permit.
Chair members said they would not vote on any removal today. Commissioners directed facilities staff to arrange an independent arborist inspection and to return findings for the board’s consideration. The chair also said the county is working on stronger protections for mature trees as part of broader landscape and development policies.
What’s next: Commissioners said they will review the independent arborist’s report and additional facilities information before placing any related item on a future agenda. Several speakers offered to help raise funds to repair the adjacent memorial bandstand and to assist with designation paperwork.
Sources and attribution: Quotes and attributions are to speakers who self-identified during the public-comment period: Diane Redmond; Kevin Tagerty; Barbara Barthol; Karen Manard. When the transcript named a person or role, the article uses that identification; otherwise statements are described without specific attribution.
