Public hearing Tuesday on Raleigh tree protections

The Raleigh City Council will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, Jan. 9 at 7 p.m. to hear comments on the tree protection ordinance. The hearing will take place in the City Council chamber on the second floor of the municipal government complex at 222 W. Hargett St.

Adopted after public outcry over clear-cutting across the City of Oaks, the ordinance took effect in May 2005. It requires 10 percent of standing trees to be preserved on lots of 2 acres or more in most zoning districts. A tougher ordinance was originally proposed but met with opposition from the real-estate development industry.

Among those scheduled to speak at the hearing is a representative of the Sierra Club's Capital Group, who will ask council to preserve and perhaps even strengthen the ordinance. Part of the public task force charged with drafting the ordinance, the Capital Group objected to the fact that the final version applied only to 2-acre lots and not also 1-acre parcels as the task force suggested. The change exempted most sites, particularly in-fill development inside the Beltline.

In a statement posted to its Web site, the Capital Group warns that developers are organizing to weaken or even abolish the ordinance. Indeed, the Home Builders Association of Raleigh-Wake County has posted a notice about the meeting to its online calendar.

The Sierra Club urges concerned citizens to attend Tuesday's meeting and show support for tree conservation efforts.