Board May Extend Tree Protection Law

The Ventura County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday will consider whether to extend until April, 1992, an ordinance to protect older oaks, sycamores and other large and historically significant trees.

The 45-day emergency ordinance became effective in April when it was unanimously adopted upon the recommendation of Supervisor Vicky Howard.

In a report to the supervisors, Planning Director Keith Turner said the ordinance needs to be extended for 10 months and 15 days to give his staff time to draft a permanent law.

The law requires landowners to apply for a permit before cutting or removing protected trees. Violators can face as much as a year in jail and a fine of $1,000 for each offense. The law provides for an appeals process and exemptions.

The law was designed specifically to protect older oak and sycamore trees, but also includes any tree with a circumference of 90 or more inches and any tree identified as a landmark.

The law would protect trees on private and public land in the unincorporated county areas. Residents could prune or trim the limbs on protected trees if the limbs are less than two inches in diameter.

Howard said she recommended the law because she was concerned about the removal of 100 oak trees on the Newhall Ranch between Simi Valley and Piru. A spokesman for Newhall Land & Farming Co. said the oaks were removed to reduce shading of citrus, tidy overgrown areas and clean new pastureland for cattle.