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Editorial: If a tree falls, does anyone in Tallahassee hear it? <br />0 <br />11/14/178:39 AM <br />Editorial: If a tree falls, does anyone in Tallahassee hear it? <br />Posted at 12:01 AM <br />Hurricane Irma apparently intervened in defusing the fireworks that were expected at last month's <br />meeting between the Polk County Commission and the community's legislative delegation. The <br />commission's anticipated criticism of Tallahassee's encroachment into local affairs — driven largely by <br />the Legislature's support for a new homestead exemption that voters will decide next year — was <br />subordinated to discussions of how the state will fuel the hurricane recovery. <br />But don't worry, the Legislature is about to hand Polk County and other local governments more <br />reasons to grouse about undermining home rule. <br />On example came Monday when the respected environmental group 1000 Friends of Florida called <br />attention to one bill now making its way through the ongoing legislative committee meetings. <br />It seems that Rep. Katie Edwards, a Plantation Democrat, and Sen. Greg Steube, a Sarasota <br />Republican, believe regulating trees is a power best left to Tallahassee and not city hall. <br />Their identical bills would strip local governments of power to prohibit landowners from removing <br />or trimming trees on their own property. The bill would also block local governments from <br />requiring that landowners plant new trees or pay a fee toward that after removing trees. Finally, local <br />government would have no say on stopping landowners form burying vegetative debris on sites <br />larger than 2.5 acres. <br />Steube told the Sarasota Herald -Tribune that the bill was inspired in part by the fact that he had to <br />comply with a county tree ordinance before clearing an acre of his 5.3 -acre parcel to build a three -car <br />garage with a mother-in-law apartment. He also was miffed that he had to pay thousands of dollars to <br />have downed trees hauled off. And not surprisingly, Steube told the paper he also was motivated by <br />complaints from developers about abiding by such local rules. <br />Interestingly, Steube told the Herald -Tribune he attempted to discuss his issue with each Sarasota <br />County commissioner, all of whom were Republicans like him. But they didn't seem interested in his <br />plea. <br />http://GMS-LKweb.newscyclecloud.com/opinion/20171114/editorial-if-tree-falls-does-anyone-in-taIlahassee-hear-it Page i of 2 <br />P144 <br />