ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla — An attempt to protect more trees from getting chopped down during construction in St. Johns County was axed Tuesday.
The county commission discussed updating the tree ordinance to provide more protection for trees when it comes to building neighborhoods and shopping centers.
Dozens of people — including residents, builders, and environmentalists — told commissioners they supported higher fees for tree removal, stricter penalties for removing trees, and a mandate for tree buffers around new developments.
Public comments lasted for more about 2 hours about this one subject. The whole topic was discussed for more than 2.5 hours.
In the end, county commissioners voted down a motion that would further study how to protect trees during land development. The issue died 3 -2. Commissioners Krista Keating-Joseph and Henry Dean voted to move forward, but lost.
The tree protection suggestions will likely come back up for consideration during upcoming land planning discussions.
