SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (Thursday, September 12, 2019) – Summerville Town Council voted at a special called council meeting on Wednesday, September 11, 2019, to implement the provisions of the Emergency Conditions Subsection, Sec. 32-324, of the Summerville Tree Protection Ordinance for the next 10 days. This rescinds Mayor Wiley Johnson’s Executive Order that suspended all requirements of the Tree Protection Ordinance, Sec. 32-324 through October 7, 2019. The decision was made after impacts from Hurricane Dorian.
The following provisions are in effect through Saturday, September 21, 2019:
1. If any tree shall be determined to be in hazardous or dangerous condition so as to endanger the public health, safety or welfare and requires immediate removal without delay, written authorization shall be given by any member of the Tree Advisory Protection (T.A.P.) committee and the tree removed; and
2. During the period of Emergency Conditions found to exist by this Resolution of Summerville Town Council, the requirements of the Summerville Tree Protection Ordinance may be specifically waived by the Mayor or his designee on an individualized basis to permit the cutting and removal of felled trees; and
3. Under no circumstances shall the Tree Protection Ordinance be deemed to have been suspended, modified, or waived in any manner which would allow for the cutting or removal of any tree which has not been found to be in a hazardous or a dangerous condition by a member of the T.A.P. committee unless the requirements of the Summerville Tree Protection Ordinance have been specifically waived on an individualized basis by the Mayor or his designee to allow for the cutting and removal of a felled tree.
4. Unless renewed by Summerville Town Council for an additional time period, the implementation of the Emergency Conditions provision of the Summerville Tree Protection Ordinance shall expire ten (I 0) days from the date of this Resolution or September 21, 2019, and the cutting or removal of all trees in the Town of Summerville will then be governed by the provisions of the Summerville Tree Protection Ordinance. Notwithstanding the above, property owners will have an additional twenty (20) days from the date of receiving written authorization from a member of the T.A.P. committee or from receiving a waiver from the Mayor or his designee to effectuate the cutting and removal of any hazardous, dangerous or felled tree. In the event any such tree is not cut and removed within twenty (20) days of receiving the written authorization or waiver, the property owner must then apply for a permit under the non-emergency conditions provisions of the Tree Protection Ordinance.
The easiest way to receive written authorization for a waiver is to email Pam Wike in the Planning Department atpwike@summervillesc.gov.
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