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Staff proposes $100-per-inch fee-in-lieu to support tree preservation
Summary
City staff proposed a $100-per-inch 'fee-in-lieu' for high-value tree preservation, to be held in a forestry fund and used for replanting; the fee was presented as a reduced compromise compared with earlier, higher proposals and based on consultant analysis.
City staff recommended a $100-per-inch fee-in-lieu for situations where on-site replacement of high-value trees is not possible. Staff said the fee was reduced from an earlier $400-per-inch proposal and is meant to fund replanting administered by the forestry division.
Presenter Ned Noel said the fee figure was derived from consultant analysis (JB Heinz at Birch Line Planning) that considered soil volume, tree cost and labor. "We walked that back to a $100 per inch," he told the council, describing the charge as a conservative, comparably situated rate based on other Wisconsin communities. Under the proposal the developer or property owner who qualifies would pay the fee at permit time; funds would be held in a separate forestry account and used for replanting in nearby locations or city parks.
Residential builders and trade groups speaking later in the meeting said they support the lower fee but urged continued attention to how the charge affects small infill lots where replanting options are limited.
