Council allows removal of five historic trees for Harbor Landings, prioritizes on‑site replacement

Port Orange — The council granted an applicant permission to remove five of the approximately 10 trees catalogued as 'historic' on a vacant redevelopment parcel (Harbor Landings) with a mitigation plan that prioritizes on‑site replacement over payment.

Community Development staff reported that a recent tree survey identified at least 10 historic trees on the property and that two of those trees were diseased or structurally compromised. The applicant revised a draft request during the hearing — reducing the number of trees sought for removal from up to seven to five — and pledged to prioritize replanting on the parcel where feasible. "We can make that work," the project engineer told council while describing grading constraints and where trees would be retained in common areas.

Council emphasized a preference for on‑site replacement rather than mitigation payments, and staff confirmed mitigation dollars are a secondary option only if required replacement plantings cannot be accommodated on the property for ecological or space reasons. The applicant and owner outlined a high‑end residential plan (townhomes and single‑family units) and said they intend the project to retain visual character along US‑1 with preserved specimen trees in front and replacement planting within the site.

Outcome: Council approved the removal request by majority vote and attached conditions that prioritize on‑site replacement plantings (the approved motion limited removals to five historic trees; replacement to be maximized on site with payment allowed only if staff determines on‑site mitigation is infeasible).

Ending: The applicant will prepare a planting plan that meets species and size requirements for replacement trees; staff will confirm whether any mitigation payments are required if space or survival constraints prevent on‑site planting.