working together
for neighborhood preservation

July 31, 2003 DNA Comments to
P&Z Tree Preservation Commttee

Commissioners Holt, Johnson and Mulroy, my name is Darlene Mullenweg. I live at 711 W. Oak Street, Denton, Texas. I know we are here to talk tree preservation ordinance, but if you would indulge me a moment to tell you for whom I speak. I am the first president of the newly formed Denton Neighborhood Alliance, an organization formed to create, maintain and support neighborhood groups or associations for the betterment of Denton through education, beautification, vitality and advocacy creating a quality of life second to none and envied by outsiders. We meet on a regular basis, have officers, by-laws and voting and non-voting members.

One of our main objectives is to serve as a voice for neighborhoods at the city level much like the Chamber of Commerce does in regard to business matters. Our concept and our hope is that DNA will be the vehicle to elevate Denton neighborhoods by partnering with the City and the business community to approach any topic of concern with effective communication and co-operation rather than with heretofore contentiousness. It is our goal that the entire city of neighborhoods will benefit under the DNA umbrella.

In May of this year we met with City Manager Conduff and some of his staff to outline our main objectives for a DNA/Community Partnership. Subsequent meetings resulted in the City wholeheartedly embracing our goals and objectives and naming Michelle Cunningham, Community and International Relations Co-ordinator as the City's single point of contact for DNA. Having our first goal in place, we look forward to working with her and seeing many more of our goals come to fruition.

On June 19 at our regularly scheduled DNA meeting the issue of tree preservation ordinance or lack thereof in Denton was a concern to all thirteen neighborhoods represented. Out of that meeting a committee of twelve was formed to look at the issue of tree preservation for Denton. Since that time, we have had numerous meetings discussing how we might assist the city in drafting an effective tree preservation ordinance through our own research and input. We want to thank you for taking the initiate in addressing this issue and providing the forum that we as neighborhoods might have a voice to establish our concerns and to offer input.

We want to emphasize that we do not have an "Us vs. Them" mentality. We are reasonable people who know that in a growing city, development is inevitable and trees must be felled. However we are of the mindset that in doing so, it does not have to be either/or, but it can be both/and if we work together. This ordinance should be written to find the equitable balance that shows how to minimize the loss in the name of progress. It can be done and Sally Beauty Control is a wonderful example of what the results can be. Perhaps Commissions might consult with Mike Patterson, head of construction, on that project to see how they accomplished the both/and concept. That being said and after hours of discussions, reading tree preservation ordinances from numerous cities, consulting with urban foresters and botanists, we provide the following for your consideration as essentials for a good tree preservation ordinance:

The tree ordinance should be concise, reasonable and economical but defined in such a way that it has no loopholes.

The ordinance should identify tree preservation as it relates to residential, commercial and industrial sites.

A full-time Urban Forester is essential to any tree preservation ordinance.

A Tree Committee should be established to enforce and oversee the tree preservation and reforestation efforts. We understand that this committee is already in place through the staff of Keep Denton Beautiful.

The ordinance should establish a tree-coverage map for the city of Denton. Define and identify trees for preservation. We need to take inventory of what we have in order to maintain it.

The ordinance should contain a "no clear cut" or "no grading" clause.

The ordinance should preserve Denton's current tree canopy with a

No Net Loss of Trees" clause, whereby every tree removed is either transplanted or replaced somewhere appropriate in the city, not necessarily on the same site or in the vicinity where the trees were removed.

The ordinance should contain a replacement ratio with a graduated scale. Recommend a botanist or forester be consulted to determine that ratio. Dr. Don Smith has excellent information on this subject.

The tree ordinance should include exemptions for right of ways, streets, sidewalks, easements and industrial sites.

The ordinance should have exemptions for footprints of residential and commercial buildings.

The ordinance should have an appeal process.

Additionally, until an ordinance can be drafted and put into place, we are asking this committee for assistance in establishing a moratorium on all "clear cutting" and "grading" of land in the city since the approval of the Denton Development Code wiped out any tree preservation whatsoever.

We are confident that each of you is as concerned as we are about the necessity of this ordinance and the need for getting it written and into place as quickly as possible. Our committee wants to help in anyway we can. We have a wealth of information and knowledge after studying this issue and are happy to provide additional information upon request. I would ask that if there were future meetings outside of a public forum where this committee discusses the ordinance issue with Chamber members, developers, builders or staff that I, as President of DNA, am notified of the meeting and invited to participate.

Thank you for your time and thank you for this forum. We look forward to working with you.

Denton Neighborhood Alliance - August 30, 2003