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Tree Works on Council Land
Council will only undertake pruning or removal following appropriate assessment of the tree. Only then will appropriate work be determined in accordance with Australian Standards 4373.
Council may agree to the following works:
- All non essential works to be at the cost of the applicant using Council's approved contractor only.
- Removal of unsuitable or hazardous trees.
- Crown thinning for solar access, selective pruning, and weight reduction of limbs.
- Maintenance pruning to remove dead, diseased, dying, defective branches.
- Selective pruning to remove branches causing conflict, ie building encroachment.
- Root pruning of trees to ameliorate damage to built & natural structures.
- Pruning for service lines.
- Crown lifting for pedestrian or vehicular access.
- Pruning for vehicle sight lines, signage, and RTA requirements.
- Removal of trees in conflict with utilities and built structures where all engineering alternatives have been considered.
- In habitat trees, Council will remove the minimum amount that Council needs to make it safe, whilst still retaining habitat value (eg leaving a hollow stump for nesting birds).
Council will not undertake the following work:
- Trees not considered to be Council responsibility.
- Removal of trees for views.
- Removal of trees for leaf, fruit or sap drop, bird or bat droppings, damage to sewer pipes/built structures unless all engineering alternatives have been considered.
- Removal of healthy and stable trees.
- Pruning of trees contrary to Australian Standards 4373.
- Any pruning work outside what a particular species will tolerate, ie figs if pruned by more than 10% can be predisposed to sunburn.
- Tree work for emotive reasons.
- Removal of trees inhibiting grass growth.
- Chemical controls unless deemed absolutely necessary, ie termite control on nature strips.
- Removal of trees for allergies unless tree can be medically linked to allergy.
- Removal of trees found to be causing damage to minor ancillary structures such as footpaths and driveways.
- Requests for topping of trees.
