Sutherland Shire Council changes direction on troublesome trees

A group of senior staff from across the council, who are expected to have a broader view, will meet regularly to review decisions.

The officers or directors will come from the asset services, community services, risk management and tree management business units.

If they also reject the application, a councillor will still be able to take the matter to a council meeting on the resident's behalf if they feel there is an injustice.

Other appeal options available to residents will be to engage a AQF 5 Consulting Arborist, whose recommendation will be accepted automatically, or to appeal to the Land and Environment Court.

The process is provided in a Draft Urban Tree and Bushland Policy, which sees a strategic shift "from a largely tree preservation approach to a more holistic tree management model".

The draft policy will be placed on public exhibition for six weeks, with feedback to be considered before the policy is finalised.

Council staff had recommended a special panel be established to review rejected applications.

That panel would have included a community representative along with the broad group of senior council officers.

However, Cr Carmelo Pesce won the support of all but one councillor in saying there was no need for a separate panel, and a community representative was likely to have strong views one way or the other about tree removal

Cr Pesce said the senior council staff could meet to review decisions as part of their normal duties.

His amendments also removed a staff-proposed fee for appeals.

Cr Barry Collier supported all the changes except the exclusion of a community representative from the appeals process.

"Including an independent community representative would, like a local planning panel, help take the politics out of decisions about trees," he said.

The staff report identified the tree species most likely to fall in storms.

Anecdotal observations by tree management staff indicate up to 90 per cent of trees blown over in the January 20, 2020, storm were the Eucalyptus nicholii species, commonly known as the narrow leaved black peppermint or willow peppermint.