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Brooksville council approves specimen‑tree removals for West Bay development with negotiated mitigation
Summary
The council approved TR200603, allowing specimen‑tree removals for the Homes by West Bay development and directing negotiated tree‑mitigation measures and staff conditions; the vote was 4–0 after council and public questions about mitigation numbers, buffers and drainage.
The Brooksville City Council voted 4–0 on March 16 to approve TR200603, a specimen‑tree removal request tied to the Homes by West Bay development, while directing staff and the applicant to negotiate final tree‑mitigation details and to meet specified preservation conditions.
The vote followed presentations from city staff and Landmark Engineering, and more than an hour of council questioning and public comment focused on how many trees would be removed, where replacement trees would be planted, and whether stormwater work would affect adjacent properties. "We had several things we took from that meeting," said Todd Amet of Landmark Engineering, summarizing revisions that added topography and highlighted trees proposed for preservation.
Why it matters: The development requires mass grading and construction of multiple stormwater retention ponds in phase 1, which the applicant said necessitates removing several large live oaks. Councilmembers pressed for clarity on buffers, berms and the mix of on‑site planting versus payment into the city’s tree‑mitigation fund. Councilmember Howell (speaker 3) questioned the mitigation math, saying the current numbers produced about an $800,000 mitigation obligation but that some calculations appeared off by roughly $50,000. "I don't believe that they need 1,430 trees," Howell said, arguing for a lower planting count and some payment to the fund as an alternative.
Developer response and mitigation plan: Landmark and the builder, Homes by West Bay, said replacement trees would largely be placed in common areas—collector roads, open spaces and a natural clubhouse area—rather than on individual lots, and that the project team could negotiate the final split between planted trees and funds. "Our intent here is to use those funds to better enhance, not only the buffering from the road, but the feel of inside the community," said Matt Suggs of Homes by West Bay (speaker 15).
Public concerns and staff clarifications: Adjacent property owner Mike Walker (speaker 14) told council he had met with the applicant and expressed concern about continued ponding and the size (caliper) of replacement trees, urging larger specimens so plantings contribute to long‑term canopy. City staff and the applicant explained that the land‑development code requires replacement caliper inches to match removed caliper inches and that the applicant could negotiate with council to place some mitigation into the mitigation fund if insufficient room exists on site.
Council action and conditions: Councilmember Howell moved to approve the phase‑1 request with negotiated mitigation; Vice Mayor (speaker 2) seconded the motion as amended to include staff‑recommended conditions such as tree protection measures, requiring a licensed landscape architect to design root‑protection systems, specification of 3‑inch DBH minimum for replacement trees, and a five‑year survival requirement for preserved trees. The mayor announced the motion passed 4–0.
What’s next: The approval covers only the phase before council tonight; the council noted future phases and any additional tree‑removal requests would return for separate review. The applicant will finalize mitigation details with staff and council direction.
