The Brooksville City Council managed to get in its scheduled meeting last week on Monday, Oct. 7, just a few days prior to the arrival of Hurricane Milton.
Among the items approved by the Council was the removal of five specimen trees from a property located on Cortez Boulevard between Hale Avenue and Freedom Way. A specimen tree is a live oak over 18 inches in caliper and can only be removed under extraordinary circumstances and with the approval of the Council.
Cadjazz Engineering on behalf of Spartan Investment Group LLC made the request for the removal of the trees from the vacant site only after receiving a review from arborist Mary L. Edwards.
“We have evaluated each one of the 100-plus trees that are on this site that could fall into this preserved and/or regulated category,” Brad Smith of Spartan Investment Group told the Council. “Of the five trees that we’re talking about here tonight, it’s important to point out the existing quality or lack thereof and lack of general health for those particular trees.”
Edwards deemed all five trees either poor or moderate. That information quelled concerns raised by council member Jody Young.
“There was no recommendation from the arborist to even try and preserve these trees, unfortunately,” Smith said. “I think that’s important context here. They’re beautiful trees when in quality condition and health and safety factors are considered, as well.”
Spartan plans to plant 32 trees totaling 96 caliper inches to replace the 136 total caliper inches of the five trees being removed. In accordance with the land development code, the developer will pay into the tree mitigation fund. The total mitigation fee will come to $20,670.
The motion carried by a 3-1 vote, with council member Thomas Bronson being the lone nay. Council member David Bailey had left the meeting early due to a family emergency.
The Council also unanimously approved the final reading of Ordinance No. 982, allowing for the rezoning of a property on the north side of W. Jefferson Street, approximately 725 feet west of Darby Lane. The parcel will be rezoned for commercial use, consistent with the surrounding area.
Additionally approved was the first reading of Ordinance No. 990, the rezoning of property on the south side of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, approximately 380 feet east of South Board Street. The property is flanked by a childcare facility and a dance studio and would be developed into a storage facility for the property owner.
The Council voted 5-0 to approve the rezoning with one restriction. The storage units cannot be for rent. Any future changes would have to go back in front of the Council.
Finally, the Council approved the resolution to close Jefferson Street and Broad Street between Orange Avenue and Bell Avenue for the Veteran’s Music Festival on Nov. 9. The festival will celebrate local veterans and their families. Brooksville Main Street will partner with the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which will set up its 9/11 NEVER FORGET mobile exhibit.
“It’s great that Tunnels to Towers is coming for a second year in a row. They came last year and there was no guarantee that they were going to come back this year,” Mayor Blake Bell said. “I think it was such a success last year and so many in the community attended and participated that they saw they needed to come back to Brooksville. It’s a great event and looking forward to that.”
