Waverley councillors this month voted on changes to the tree management policy that stops new trees from blocking pre-existing views and requires council officers to consider cutting back trees that have been pruned in the past.
Dover Heights Precinct convenor Dov Frazer,pictured at Rodney Reserve,said residents wanted Waverley Council to stop planting new trees on streets and coastal reserves that may grow to block their views.Rhett Wyman
A majority of councillors also backed Liberal councillor Sally Betts’ amendment that allows a tree to be pruned if it “impacts on existing views”.
The updated tree policy will go on public exhibition for feedback before councillors decide whether to accept the changes.
Greens councillor Elaine Keenan said the changes give priority to ocean and harbour views and mean residents can insist a neighbour prune a tree to restore a pre-existing view.
“It will create more neighbourhood disputes which could end up in costly court cases,” she said.
Keenan,who opposed the amendments alongside fellow Green Ludovico Fabiano and two Liberal councillors,said the changes will make it harder for the council to achieve its tree canopy target.
Before the trees:What Rodney Reserve looked like in 2009.
Keenan’s view of the changes is shared by the council,which predicted staff would be inundated with requests to prune trees.
A council spokeswoman said Betts’ amendments would also make it easier for residents to cut back trees on their own property to restore views and hamper the planting of new trees.
A resident would still require the written consent of a neighbour to prune or remove a tree on their property,she said. “This would be highly problematic when assessing the application given what constitutes written consent is not defined and as such may lead to disputes between neighbours.”
The council may also be prevented from planting “large canopy trees” in parks and beaches.
“Continued pruning can also place trees under stress and may cause loss of vegetation,habitat and amenity that trees provide,” she said.
Woollahra Council will not prune a tree to create a new view,but considers requests to restore a pre-existing view. Northern Beaches Council does not generally allow pruning for views on public land and will erect banners blocking views if a tree is illegally removed.
The debate over trees blocking views comes as Waverley Council last week joined the fight against the,which is currently before the Land and Environment Court.
Waverley Council’s existing tree policy says trees are more important than views,but some eastern suburbs residents prefer their glimpses of Sydney Harbour,the city skyline and ocean.
Dover Heights Precinct convenor Dov Frazer said residents want the council to cut back trees that have grown to block their views.
Residents also wanted the council to stop planting new trees on streets and coastal reserves that may grow to block their views,he said. “In many cases the wrong species are planted as the chosen species grow so tall and broad that views will be affected.”
However,the council spokeswoman said “great care” was taken to plant the correct trees in the right location:“When a species is selected,officers consider height and width of the tree and any property’s views that may be directly affected.”
A proposal requiring residents to obtain a permit to prune a tree over three metres – instead of five metres – will be discussed at the precinct’s August meeting. Fraser said he did not believe the change would be supported by residents.
In a letter to residents,Frazer said people visit the cliff walk between Bondi and Watsons Bay to view the cliffs,ocean and “often to see the migrating whales”.
“Waverley Council seems to have forgotten this fact and have chosen to plant trees and shrubs in their section of the Federation Cliff Walk which in many places have grown to completely block the beautiful ocean views.”
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