Brooksville council expands tree‑mitigation fund to cover trimming and removal, approves first reading with $50,000 annual cap

Brooksville — The City Council approved on first reading an amendment to the city’s land‑development code that widens permissible uses of the tree mitigation fund to include removal of dead trees and trimming on public property and rights of way, with the council adding a $50,000‑per‑fiscal‑year cap on expenditures for those maintenance purposes.

The ordinance (Ord. 10‑12) passed on a 5–0 vote after more than an hour of staff briefing, council questions and public comment. The amendment changes section 4.5.8 of the land‑development code to allow the previously plant‑only mitigation fund to be used for maintenance actions intended to protect public safety and preserve canopy streets.

Why it matters: The fund is made up of developer payments paid when a project cannot meet on‑site tree replacement requirements. Staff corrected the fund balance during the meeting to $352,926 and said the money is non‑tax revenue; staff proposed using a portion of that money for removing hazardous limbs and trimming canopy trees without tapping the city’s general fund.

What council heard: Staff said the fund had been limited to tree replacement but that the ordinance change would allow the city to address safety hazards and long‑deferred maintenance. “We would like to plant the front entranceway to Tom Vaughan Park … with 32 live oaks,” said the presenting staff member, and estimated that specific planting program at roughly $200,000 (projected costs discussed during the meeting). The city manager and public‑works staff said using mitigation dollars for trimming would free up existing public‑works budgeted dollars for a future equipment purchase placed in the CIP (capital improvement program).

Public commenters urged both caution and action. One resident urged the council not to set the cap “too small” because dangerous dead wood is widespread; another suggested subcontracting to local arborists rather than buying equipment. Council members debated whether to allow staff automatic access to a percentage of the fund or to set a flat yearly limit. After discussion the council amended the ordinance on the floor to permit up to $50,000 per fiscal year to be spent on trimming and removal; any expenditure above that would require a return to council.

Council and staff comments: When asked how much was available in the fund, staff said the corrected balance was $352,926. A council member who supported a cap said the change is partly designed to avoid returning to council for routine safety work; another council member argued the city should keep planting as the fund’s principal purpose but recognized an immediate maintenance need.

What happens next: The ordinance carries to a second reading on April 20 for final adoption unless further amendments are proposed. If adopted, staff said they will bring back details on how the annual cap will be administered and whether any CIP dollars will be allocated for equipment purchase.

Direct quotes from the meeting: “It is a request to … widen the use of the funds for tree maintenance,” staff said when describing the draft ordinance. In public comment a resident warned that dead limbs have created safety hazards in neighborhoods and urged the council to act. The council voted 5–0 to approve the first reading with the $50,000 annual cap.

Ending: The council approved first reading with the amendment; councilmembers directed staff to return with precise draft language and budget details in time for the April 20 second reading.