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Friday, July 30, 2010 |
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Council tables tree-trimming ordinance vote
Published July 22, 2009
SEGUIN — Seguin residents can put away their chainsaws and pruners — at least for now.
During Tuesday’s City Council meeting, members voted unanimously to postpone approval of a second reading of two ordinances that would require residents to trim back trees and shrubs around streets, sidewalks and underground utility easements.
The postponement came with stipulations that council would further study the issue and that a cost study would be done to see how much it would cost the city to trim trees and shrubs for residents.
One ordinance would require trees to be trimmed 15 feet above the center of the street and trees and shrubs to be trimmed eight feet above the sidewalks. The second ordinance required trees and shrubs to be trimmed 15 feet above an underground utility easement, allowing easier and safer access for city workers.
On first reading during the July 7 meeting, the ordinances passed 4-3, with Councilmen Steve Tschoepe, Don Keil and Dan Daniels voting against both.
Councilwoman Mary Louise Gonzales, who made the motion to postpone on Tuesday, said she believes residents would benefit if council and city staff had more time to research the ordinances. She said she was worried that her constituents would be unable to trim trees or pay someone to do it for them.
“I’m concerned because a lot of the people this would affect are over 65 and on a fixed income,” she said. “They just cannot afford it.”
While Gonzales suggested that the city look into providing the trimming service for the residents, Councilman Bob Pees added an amendment, saying he would like to see a cost study done to determine how much this service would cost the taxpayers.
“About 80 percent of people in this city keep their trees trimmed the way they should; this applies to the 20 percent who just don’t want to trim their trees, even though they’re supposed to,” Pees said. “I don’t see why the cost should be distributed over all the taxpayers, when most of them aren’t doing what they shouldn’t be doing.”
While Pees was concerned that a postponement may drag the situation out, Tschoepe said there was no reason to be in a hurry and would like more information before making a final decision.
“I don’t think we need to rush this,” he said. “I would like to see a copy of the ordinances they have in San Marcos and New Braunfels, to find out how they’re enforced and — if someone is unable to pay to have the work done — if there’s a program in place to help.”
While the ordinances would help drivers and pedestrians, City Engineer Joe Ramos said the ordinances were created after emergency vehicles and utility bucket trucks had problems with striking low-hanging limbs.
Also during the meeting, council approved a contract with NG Painting, L.L.P. to paint and sanitize the inside of a water tower on Kingsbury Street, which had been taken offline more than a year ago for repairs.
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