Commission weighs hazard-tree designation for 1265 Bird Street; arborist suggests pruning as option

The Oroville Parks Commission heard staff and arborist assessments on June 9 about a tree at 1265 Bird Street and discussed whether to designate it a hazard under municipal code, a step that would obligate the property owner to remove the tree absent a successful appeal to city council.

Tim Cber, Oroville's director of public works, outlined the code process: "I would send a letter to the homeowner with the direction to remove the tree with a 10-day window to appeal it to city council," he said. The designation would be made by the commission as a recommendation; council would hear any appeal and decide whether to require removal at the owner's expense under the nuisance provisions of city code.

Wade Adterbury, the city arborist, who said he has been an arborist for 28 years, told the commission he inspected the trees at the site at the request of code enforcement. He said the larger tree at the address likely needs removal, but the specific tree before the commission "could be corrected without immediate removal" with heavy pruning and other treatments. "My recommendation was to remove them both at the same time to save the property owner money," Adterbury said, while also noting that mitigation could extend the tree's life by several years.

Commission members pressed staff about whether the property owner had been contacted; staff said they had met with the owner and with a private arborist the owner brought to the site. Commissioners discussed liability and the practical limits of mitigation, noting "you can't move the house, you can't move the sidewalk" and asking how much risk the city can accept around public targets.

A commissioner moved to accept staff and arborist recommendations with language that mitigation or removal would satisfy the recommendation; another commissioner seconded the motion. The transcript does not record a formal roll-call vote for that motion in the meeting record provided, though staff described the next steps the code office would take if the commission designates the tree a hazard.

Under the code pathway described by staff, the homeowner would receive the notice and could appeal to council within 10 days; if the appeal fails or is not filed, the owner would be directed to address the hazard at their expense.

The commission also discussed whether to schedule the other nearby tree for review at the same time and the potential cost-savings of removing both trees at once. Staff and the arborist said they would continue to coordinate with code enforcement and the property owner.