Orange council approves first reading of ordinance requiring permits for commercial tree cutting and trimming

The Orange City Council on May 12 approved the first reading of an ordinance that would require tree-cutting and tree-trimming services for hire to obtain a city permit and follow new rules for debris removal.

City planner/staff (Mr. N.) told the council the measure, proposed as an addition to Chapter 4 (Business and Commerce) as Article 4.18000, is intended to clarify contractor and occupant responsibilities, protect public health and safety, and reduce stormwater obstructions created when large piles of cuttings are left in rights-of-way and drainage areas.

Under the proposal, a contractor would need a separate permit for each address, with each permit valid for 14 days and required to be kept on-site and presented on request. Owner-occupants doing their own work would be exempt from the permit fee but would still be restricted from placing cuttings in drainage easements, rights-of-way or other prohibited areas. Staff used a 4 ft by 4 ft by 6 ft pile as an illustrative example of a small bundle that the city would collect, while describing the larger “mounds” left by some commercial services as the problem the ordinance seeks to stop.

Councilmembers pressed for clarity on measurement, how many piles a property may have, and the difference between brush piles and larger logs. Staff said small bundles at the curb would be acceptable but that large accumulations impede the city’s grapple-truck pickup and can create traffic and stormwater hazards. Council directed staff to add a clear one-pile-per-month limit in the ordinance text and discussed requiring contractors to show proof of bonding and insurance in the permitting packet.

The ordinance would make the service provider responsible for lawful disposal of all tree cuttings and trimmings; staff said contractors cannot rely on a property owner’s direction to leave debris in prohibited areas. Enforcement tools described include immediate stop-work orders for unpermitted work, suspension or revocation of permits, collection of city cleanup costs, and an administrative appeals process that must be exhausted before court action.

Staff proposed a $50 permit application fee per address; if the city must perform cleanup, the city would charge actual cleanup costs plus a $150 administrative fee. For public-safety hazard cleanup, staff proposed a rate of $1,000 per 100 cubic feet of debris. The code’s general penalty provisions were noted: fines up to $500 per day for ordinary violations and up to $2,000 per day for health or safety infractions.

Council voted to approve first reading of the ordinance with the council’s requested edits (explicit one-pile-per-month limit and bonded/insured contractor requirement) to be drafted into the ordinance for second reading. The item returns to council for a second reading and formal adoption after staff revises the text to reflect the council’s directions.