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Woodbury launches program to help homeowners pay to remove dying ash trees
Summary
The City of Woodbury unveiled the Private Ash Tree Removal Assessment Program to cover upfront contractor costs for removing ash trees killed by the Emerald Ash Borer; approved costs are paid by the city and placed on property tax bills for repayment. The program is first-come, first-served and requires homeowner applications, certified-arborist quotes, and notarized assessment agreements.
A City of Woodbury staff member announced a new program to help homeowners pay to remove dying ash trees after the Emerald Ash Borer infestation.
The Private Ash Tree Removal Assessment Program will have the city pay upfront for removal work, with the cost and applicable bond interest “added to your property taxes, just like a road repair project,” the staff member said. The program will operate on a first-come, first-served basis with a yearly budget for the next three years.
The program targets privately owned properties with ash trees. To pre-qualify, the staff member said the tree must be an ash and the homeowner must apply; properties outside Woodbury, commercial parcels and shared common-interest-community land are not eligible. Applicants start online by answering two pre-approval questions.
If an applicant qualifies, the city requires contact information, two written quotes from a certified arborist and a PDF copy of the property tax statement (available from the Washington County taxpayer website). City staff will review the application; approved applicants receive a conditional approval letter and an assessment agreement and waiver. Applicants then have seven days to sign and notarize the agreement and return it to Public Works to receive authorization to proceed with removal.
After contractors complete the removal, homeowners must submit the final invoice and photos. "The city pays upfront costs of the removal," the staff member said. Once the city pays the contractor, the cost is added to the homeowner’s property taxes for repayment.
The city directed residents to woodbury.gov/AshRemoval for details and to start the pre-approval questions. The announcement does not specify the annual budget amount or the total number of properties that will be served under the multi-year program.
