The Woodside Town Council meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 12, could be residents' last chance to comment on the town's tree protection ordinance. If the Town Council votes on Tuesday to adopt the ordinance, it will go into effect 30 days later.

Key provisions of the ordinance include:

* requiring property owners to get permits before removing a tree

* limiting the circumstances under which property owners can remove "significant" trees

* fining property owners who remove trees without permits

* protecting some slow-growing native tree species by defining them as "significant" at a smaller trunk circumference than other types of trees.

A staff report is available on the town's web site: Web Link

An Almanac story about the tree ordinance is available at this link: Web Link