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iii. PUBLIC HEARING: ORDINANCE CONCERNING REVISION OF THE TREE REMOVAL PERMIT PROGRAM Department of Public Works Director Christine Andersen described changes proposed for Eugene Code Section 6.300-6.330 modifying requirements for City administration of tree removal permits, complaint investigation, and code enforcement on private properties. She said the changes were the "best shot" available to keeping the City's Tree Preservation Ordinance in the face of the General Fund Urban Forestry Service reduction strategy adopted by the council. She said she believed the proposal was reasonable, but not ideal. Mayor Torrey opened the public hearing, explained guidelines for testifying, and requested that those who spoke seek to limit their contributions to providing new information. Martin Gascoyne, 3340 Fillmore Street, stated that he represented the Oregon Landscape Association. He said he had studied the proposed changes in the ordinance and was opposed to them because he believed they eliminated its enforcement. He said giving the power of enforcement to citizens could create conflict within neighborhoods. He recommended that the council seek a way to allocate funds to provide for City enforcement of the Tree Preservation ordinance. Tom McCartney, 2218 Riverview, congratulated the City on recently once again receiving designation as a Tree City. He stated that he was a Certified Arborist, but that he did not feel the certification qualified him to make decisions required by the proposed changes in the Tree Preservation ordinance. He said he believed landscape architects were also not qualified for such decisions. He suggested that a crew of tree professionals be designated to make the decisions. Robert Milks, 388 Dellwood Drive, stated that he would focus his comments relative to the South Hills Study area. He said a main purpose of the study was to preserve the natural character of the area, but that lack of enforcement had prevented attainment of that goal. He said he believed individual homeowners and developers had violated its principles. He said he favored enforcement of the Tree Preservation Ordinance in the fashion suggested by Mr. McCartney. Jonathan M. Ramey, 2120 Summit Avenue, stated that he had closely followed revisions made to proposals for enforcement of the Tree Preservation Ordinance. He said he believed there continued to be problems with the proposal under consideration--private tree professions were not qualified to make legal decisions, potential conflicts of interest were created for those making decisions about removal of trees, private citizen Cause of Action litigation was not an effective means of enforcement, the intention of the ordinance revision is unclear. Tash Shaheed, 3395 Onyx Street, recommended consideration of including professional foresters in a study group to evaluate the appropriateness of the ordinance amendment proposals. John Moriarty, 342 Rosewood Avenue, stated that he was secretary of the Many Rivers Group of the Sierra Club. He said that he disagreed with the budgetary justification for amendment of Minutes--Eugene City Council April 6, 1998 Page 3 7:30 p.m.