Bill > B26-0059

This bill amends the Urban Forest Preservation Act of 2002 to make several key changes to tree preservation regulations in the District of Columbia. The bill reduces the definition of a Special Tree from 44 inches to 25 inches in circumference, increases fees for tree removal, and establishes new fee structures for both Special Trees and Heritage Trees. For Special Trees, the removal fee will now be $55 per inch of circumference for homestead property owners and $100 per inch for non-homestead property owners. For Heritage Trees, property owners can either pay $350 per inch of circumference or pay $250 per inch and establish a perpetual conservation easement equal to three times the tree's diameter. The bill also increases the penalty for unauthorized tree removal from $300 to $500 and limits the Tree Fund's annual spending on school property plantings to 25% of the fund's five-year average receipts. These changes aim to strengthen tree preservation efforts and provide more robust financial mechanisms for protecting urban forests in the District of Columbia.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://lims.dccouncil.gov/Legislation/B26-0059