CM Freddie O’Connell Speaks for the Trees…

Answered questions accepted after July 6th deadline.

QUESTION #1

The Fort Negley clear-cutting and the NFL cherry-tree incidents illustrated something obvious: When it comes to the urban canopy, there is a breakdown of communication between the segments of Metro Government responsible for trees. The problem is that trees fall under the jurisdiction of many different departments (codes, stormwater, electrical, parks). What internal operational changes need to be made to better protect the existing canopy?

I draw a different conclusion: with Fort Negley and the NFL Draft, the mayor’s office had considerable discretion to intervene. Mayoral candidates should be asked about how they will make clear that the Urban Forestry Program Manager is advising them and helping with this coordination, per the executive order on tree policy.

QUESTION #2

Do you support the city’s first tree bill in over a decade (BL2018-1416) in its current form? If not, what changes do you want to see? Or should it be stronger and broader in scope? BL1416 impacts only commercial and multi-family land use types. Do you support enacting tree laws for single-family residential?

I do, primarily because it represents progress. Despite my support, I recognize that it could be stronger, especially on the basis of building footprints and smaller residential parcels. Our urban canopy in Salemtown and other similar neighborhoods has been devastated by infill development.

QUESTION #3

Atlanta, Charlotte and Austin all have laws protecting a class of trees they consider to be “heritage trees; property owners must get approval for cutting them down and pay into a tree bank to offset the loss of a large trees in their communities. We feel this sets a tone that makes people more aware and respectful of the urban tree canopy. Do you approve of such legislation?

Tentatively, yes. I support the concept, anyway.

QUESTION #4

TREES ATLANTA is considered by many to be the model for a public/private cooperative that works to protect urban tree canopy. TREES ATLANTA employees even help the city as on-site inspectors who follow up to make sure developers have complied with tree ordinances. What do you think of this model, or what would you do to strengthen the implementation and enforcement of Nashville’s tree code?

We have almost no staff. I suspect that some Nashvillians would object to a third-party enforcement process, so I’d like to learn more about the details of the Trees Atlanta model.

QUESTION #5

How could we entice private property owners not to cut down mature trees? How can we encourage developers/builders to keep mature trees in the designing of the home and lot?

Similarly to historic preservation, we could create incentive programs. Unfortunately, the market incentives in Nashville too often overpower modest incentive programs such as those available for preservation.

QUESTION #6

Metro Nashville has just 3 employees to oversee all of Davidson County trees, while other peer cities with less tree canopy coverage have 15 to 20 employees on staff for trees. As a result, the Nashville Tree Conservation Corps has cataloged countless incidents where developers eluded complying with tree codes, the city has hundreds of hazardous trees that need to be replaced, and staff have trouble keeping up with just their everyday responsibilities. Do you support spending the money to bring us up to a par with our peer cities? If not, how will you fix this issue?

We do need more urban forestry staff, especially considering our acreage. Unfortunately, finding the balance for fiscal priority among competing demands is difficult when it feels like every year is an austerity budget despite a booming city.

BONUS QUESTION FOR COUNCIL CANDIDATES

QUESTION #7

How will you work to bridge the divisions we often experience when talking about advancing tree legislation in Nashville between the community-builder dynamic? How can we advance Nashville’s livability standards while avoiding the risk of State preemption?  

As a co-sponsor of the current tree bill in a district heavy with development, I am in touch with a number of people in the development industry. We are fortunate to have some excellent landscape architecture firms in Nashville, and I think leveraging the Civic Design Center with their audience and reach for a charette could be a good idea.