City Council Minutes 2006 01 17 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Council Meeting Minutes January 17, 2006 Page 5 of 11 ORDINANCE No. 1482, SERIES 2006 - AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 14.20 OF THE LOUISVILLE MUNICIPAL CODE REGARDING THE HORTICULTURAL AND FORESTRY ADVISORY BOARD - 2nd reading - public hearing (advertised Daily Camera 1/7/06) Mayor Sisk requested a City Attorney introduction. City Attorney Light read Ordinance No. 1482, Series 2006. Mayor Sisk requested a Staff presentation. City Forester Chris Lichty explained the City's trees, both public and private, are governed by two sections of the City of Louisville's Municipal Code. Chapters 8.12: Trees, and 14.20: City Tree Board, were adopted to address the management of trees and the creation of a City Tree Board. These two chapters were enacted in 1977 and 1980 respectively. Since then, changes have taken place within the City's organizational structure. It is these changes that prompted the Department of Land Management and the Horticultural and Forestry Advisory Board (HFAB or Tree Board) to initiate a process aimed at updating chapter 14.20 of the City of Louisville Municipal Code. After review of chapter 14.20, it was found to contain redundancy and lacked accuracy as it relates to the current structure of City government. The former Tree Board has since become the Horticultural and Forestry Advisory Board (HFAB). This name more accurately reflects the duties of this board, dealing with issues relating to both trees and landscapes. In addition, eight of the eighteen subsections of chapter 14.20 do not relate to HFAB or its duties. It was determined these subsections are better addressed in chapter 8.12. Because of this, concurrent changes have also been proposed for chapter 8.12, to be presented at a future City Council meeting. Adopting the proposed changes to chapter 14.20 will provide the City with an accurate, up to date document relating to the creation and duties of the Tree Board. Mayor Sisk opened the public hearing and requested public comment. Susan Spalding, Chairperson of the Horticulture and Forestry Board, spoke in favor of the ordinance. She stated the Board became involved in the amendments in 2000. She noted there are few editorial changes that should be made, which the Board will forward to the Department of Land Management. COUNCIL COMMENT Council member Muckle asked if the ordinance could be passed and modified later.