Stiffer Penalties For Those Who Remove Trees From Right Of Ways In Tullahoma

The Tullahoma Board of Mayor and Aldermen may revise an ordinance so that stiffer penalties apply to those who remove trees from city right of way without proper authorization. Tullahoma Tree Board chairman Ralph Graham presented recommendations to the Board of Aldermen Monday that he said there have had several instances where public trees have been removed from the right of way or damaged in recent years. Graham said the city’s current ordinance has a $50 fine for those who violate the city ordinance but it has not been a deterrent to those who have removed 100-year-old trees from city right of way. The Board of Aldermen agreed to consider at its Sept. 24 meeting that removing trees without authorization is subject to citations being issued by the city forester, that would not only levy the $50 fine but also violators could be subject to any additional costs for removing damaged trees and expenses associated with replacing them.