Have your say on tree management
Wednesday, 20 March 2019
Inner West Council is reviewing development controls on trees, and residents are invited to have their say.
Early last year, Council agreed that the current requirements for residents who were concerned about trees on or affecting their property were far too onerous.
Now, a new draft plan that guides how trees are managed on private land has been developed. If adopted by the elected Council, current Development Control Plans (DCPs) relating to tree management will be amended:
•Marrickville Development Control Plan 2011
•Leichhardt Development Control Plan 2013
•Comprehensive Inner West Development Control Plan 2016 for Ashbury, Ashfield, Croydon, Croydon Park, Haberfield, Hurlstone Park and Summer Hill (Ashfield DCP)
Proposed changes to the current DCPs will harmonise the management of trees on private land, particularly controls for tree pruning and removals.
Options to guide the Draft Tree Management DCP were subject to community engagement in August and September 2018.
That feedback was used to create Principles for the new draft plan, which are:
•Public safety – Trees on private land are managed to ensure public safety and risk is managed appropriately
•Protection of property – Trees on private land are managed to ensure protection of property
•Equity/ financial cost - Trees are there for the benefit of the community and the costs incurred by residents to maintain trees should be reduced
•Increased urban canopy – Trees are essential for creating liveable cities and urban canopy needs to be increased
The new draft plan, if adopted, will make it easier and cheaper to remove dead or dangerous trees, or trees with roots that are damaging property.
Everyone is invited to have a say about the new draft Tree DCP. Go to www.yoursay.innerwest.nsw.gov.au to make an online submission or post feedback to Inner West Council, PO Box 14, Petersham, NSW 2049 Reference: 18/6398.
Submissions close Tuesday, 30 April at 5pm.
For media enquiries, contact Elizabeth Heath | Media and Communications CoordinatorP: +61 2 9392 5334 | E: elizabeth.heath@innerwest.nsw.gov.au