The Starkville Board of Aldermen Tuesday tabled a controversial measure which would have forbidden city residents from cutting down trees at least 16 inches in diameter for the next six months.
Ward 5 Alderman Jeremiah Dumas proposed a six-month moratorium on cutting trees that are healthy and at least 16 inches in diameter at breast height, or 4 feet 6 inches above the ground. The moratorium was designed to give the city”s tree board and Board of Aldermen time to implement tree protection measures in the city”s landscape ordinance, Dumas said.
“One of my campaign themes was quality of life,” Dumas said. “I see trees, I see the natural environment, I see the overall environment in which this community is found as an overall quality of life theme. This moratorium was set up to improve quality of life … and to protect healthy trees, not trees that are diseased.”
The proposed moratorium drew reaction from several Starkville residents who felt the city was trying to take away their personal and property rights.
“Basically, what I”m saying is this is my property,” said Jane Vemer, a resident of the Greenbriar neighborhood. “I own this property. I should be allowed to cut the trees if I so wish without anyone telling me I can or I cannot. If this passes, this will just be another freedom that has been taken from the citizens of this community.”
Among a handful of others who spoke out against the moratorium was Mike Allen, who ran unsuccessfully for the Ward 5 seat on the Board of Aldermen in 2009.
“I”d like to say, for the record, I like trees and I wish I had more of them, but I value freedom and I”m coming to you again like I did for the (safety) helmet ordinance because this is a liberty issue,” Allen said. “I”m a property owner. I pay taxes on my property and those are my trees. I own those trees, not the city of Starkville. It”s not a collective right. It”s my right. In a free society, the government cannot take that right away from me.”
The penalty for violation of the moratorium would be participation in an “equivalency tree replacement program” as structured by the tree board until the landscape ordinance is adopted and becomes effective.
The moratorium did have some support, however, from 4-County”s Billy Kelly, an arborist and utility specialist. Kelly was concerned the moratorium did not specify whether or not utility companies would fall under the cutting ban.
Kelly”s question was one of the reasons Dumas made a motion to table the moratorium so the tree board can compose further revisions.
Even if the moratorium comes back before the Board of Aldermen, however, the vote may be tight.
Ward 1 Alderman Ben Carver and Ward 3 Alderman Eric Parker said they weren”t in favor of a moratorium against tree cutting on private property, but they might support one for city-owned property. Both said they don”t want to take away property owners” rights.
Ward 7 Alderman Henry Vaughn Sr. also spoke out against the moratorium, saying the city should focus on more important issues like infrastructure and other matters.
In other business Tuesday, aldermen voted 6-1 to rezone 4.88 acres along Highway 12 East for a developer who wants to build a hotel on the property. The property, adjacent to the Hilton Garden Inn, was zoned R-1 single family residential, but will be rezoned to C-2 general business.
Andy Gaston, secretary treasurer of Development Enterprises of Starkville, would not disclose what hotel might go on the property, but did say it”s a $5 million-$7 million project that would produce construction jobs, plus at least 20 full-time jobs after the hotel opens.
Only Dumas voted against the zoning change, but declined to explain why after the meeting.
The vote came after the city”s planning and zoning commission last month recommended aldermen deny the rezoning request, citing a lack of public need.
When moving approval of the zoning change Tuesday, Ward 6 Alderman Roy A. Perkins cited changes in the surrounding area. In recent years, the Hilton Garden Inn was constructed, along with two doctor”s offices and a credit union across Highway 12, which shows the necessary change, Perkins said.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.