If a tree falls in the woods, does it make a sound? Well, we don't about the woods, but we know trees make a lot of noise when they fall within the city limits of Monte Sereno. In fact, the mere mention of cutting down trees in Monte Sereno can make things very noisy indeed.
Take last week's city council meeting for example. The subject of the city's tree ordinance came up, and council members voiced a wide variety of opinions on the subject.
Councilwoman Barbara Nesbet wants to the leave the ordinance the way it is; Councilman Curtis Wright calls for modification of the current ordinance; and Councilman Mark Brodsky has a problem with the entire concept.
Nesbet believes that the city's ordinance, as it stands, "protects trees that are worth protecting," and she adds that residents can generally get permission to remove a tree if they come forward and ask the council for permission.
But Brodsky doesn't agree. He believes when residents plant trees on their property, they should have the right to remove that tree without city approval. As an alternative, he suggests that residents be allowed to remove one tree every five years without asking permission.
As a compromise, Mayor David Baxter suggested that property owners could register with the city each time they plant a tree to gain "credit" for any future tree removals.
The problem with that logic, however, is that it could create an accounting nightmare for the city and more government interaction at a time when most people are looking for less red tape and bureaucracy, and less governmental controls in their lives.
While Brodsky's plan rates merit, keeping track of each resident's tree ledger should not be a function of city government. Therefore, Nesbet's contention that the existing ordinance is a good one is likely the best course for the rest of the council to follow.
The current ordinance protects oaks and redwoods with a 20-inch circumference standing at least 4-feet high; any trees with a 25-inch circumference standing at least 4-feet high; and any three trees removed from a property within 12 months. To maintain such restrictions in Monte Sereno seem in keeping with the city's reputation as a tree city.
Tree preservation has to remain an upmost concern for the Monte Sereno City Council, and council members must keep that foremost in their minds when they return to chambers at a future meeting to further discuss the city's tree ordinance.
We side with Nesbet in this case, and feel that other council members should follow suit to maintain the existing ordinance with some modification for special consideration for removal of certain fast-growing trees. Right now, though, the council looks to be closer to contention than consensus.
The trees in Monte Sereneno might not be making much noise right now, but the council members certainly are. And it's time to come together with a decision that works for the residents.
