The city of Mission is working on a new tree preservation ordinance, the latest city in northeast Johnson County to look at ways to maintain its mature tree canopy.
The Mission City Council during a committee meeting on Wednesday voiced support for a possible ordinance that would outline how to protect, remove and replace trees throughout the city but stop short of stricter regulations like requiring permitting for removal of trees on private property.
Other neighboring cities, including Fairway and Prairie Village, already have tree preservation ordinances on their books, either modifying or approving those regulations in the past five years.
In Roeland Park, a tree preservation ordinance was a key issue during the 2023 municipal election. That led to a series of recently wrapped-up ward meetings on the topic, which the city council will likely discuss at a workshop next month, City Administrator Keith Moody told the Post.
“A hot-button issue”
- Deputy City Administrator Brian Scott told the Mission City Council on Wednesday that following recent storms this summer, “dead or dying trees have been kind of a hot-button issue for code enforcement.”
- Scott said some concerns are still lingering from last summer’s major storm that left residents in Mission and other parts of Johnson County cleaning up limbs and debris for weeks.
- “When anybody sees a tree that is dead or looks like it’s dying, they get very anxious about that, and they’ll call the city,” Scott said.
- Under the current ordinance, the city is limited in what it can do with dead or dying trees that are closer to a residence or in a backyard on private property, Scott said.
- Scott said the city is already pushing the boundaries of what it can do under the current ordinance, and getting pushback from some residents who own trees that the city thinks need to be removed.
City council wants to see nuisance trees addressed
- Members of the city council on Wednesday asked city staff to work on educating the public on which trees residents are responsible for, along with tips for general tree care and planting.
- The city council also expressed support for a new ordinance addressing so-called nuisance trees, such as those that are diseased or dangerous.
- Additionally, the city council asked city staff to focus on protecting mature trees on or near commercial and residential development projects.
- Councilmembers, however, seemed generally unsupportive of taking regulations to the next level by requiring permits for all tree removals in the city.
- “I have no problem with us educating the population at large about tree preservation and why we keep them and stuff,” Councilmember Debbie Kring said. “I am definitely not in favor of permitting every single resident — that is a no.”
Next steps:
- Deputy City Administrator Justin Carroll confirmed that the city council at this point wants to focus on measures that educate residents about trees, as well as measures that would enforce removal of nuisance trees and protect existing trees during residential and commercial developments.
- City Administrator Laura Smith said that city staff plans to share a draft ordinance with the sustainability commission and parks, recreation and tree commission for feedback before returning to the governing body for more discussion.
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