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Prune Permit Fee, Tree Trimmers Say

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By MIKE SALINERO

msalinero@tampatrib.com

Published: January 20, 2009

TAMPA - Jerry Upcavage says in 31 years of pruning and removing trees he's always followed city rules.

But the arborist says new city permit fees could drive him out of business and open the field to scofflaws willing to trim trees illegally.

"It's the worst time to do a fee increase that is almost a tenfold increase," Upcavage said. "This is going to affect the elderly; this is going to affect the poor. This is going to affect the average family that is struggling to put gas in their car and make their house payment, yet they have a dangerous tree."

The city council made the cost of tree-trimming permits more than eight times higher as part of a package of construction fee increases recommended last year by the Growth Management and Development Services department.

Before Jan. 5, the city charged $35 for a permit to trim up to three "grand trees," defined as certain species such as live oaks that measure 34 inches or more in diameter. Now, the permit costs $286 per tree.

To remove a dying tree not considered grand, homeowners now pay $99 per tree in permit fees, up from $35 for three trees.

To make his point, Upcavage invited reporters Monday to watch him cut a dead limb off a tree for an elderly Tampa woman. He said he pruned the tree for free and paid the $286 permit fee.

"This is affecting good people in my business," he said. "It's going to open the door for outsiders to come into the city and butcher the trees."

The backlash against the higher permit charges seems to be getting the attention of city officials.

Cyndy Miller, director of the growth management department, said her staff plans to review the new fee structure this week. Miller said a consultant hired by the city to evaluate permit fees may have been given inaccurate information.

"What it was supposed to do was recover what it costs to do inspections," Miller said. "It's not to generate more money than that."
Councilman John Dingfelder said council members approved the fee increases "en masse," and did not scrutinize every line item. He learned about the steep increase in tree permit prices from a neighborhood activist who warned they might drive homeowners to unlicensed trimmers.

"We do need to bring it back down to a much more reasonable level," he said. "And at the same time, we need to make sure we continue to protect our grand trees."

Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at (813) 259-8303.

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