Does New Montgomery County Tree Removal Law Fail to See the Forest for the Trees?

Takoma Park is “widely known as ‘Azalea City,’” but also has been designated a “Tree City, USA,” by The Arbor Day Foundation.

So perhaps it’s not surprising that recent news that a new law requiring Montgomery County residents and business owners to pay between $750 and $3,750 to replant new trees when they cut down old ones drew some pointed comments from Takoma Park Patch readers.

Barbara said:

“PEPCO has already deforested most of Montgomery county and now the council wants homeowners to have to pay! Ridiculous. Praise to the two who had sense enough to vote against this.”

Sammi said: 

“This is absolute insanity. If I need to cut down a tree that is unsafe, there is no sane reason to be penalized more than I already will be by the cost of removal. I have two diseased oaks on my property that I planted over twenty years ago. Let me get this right-----it will cost me $1,500 to remove them??? And that's just the County's cut. Time to move to a place where people in charge are not certifiable.”

Montgomery County Councilman George L. Leventhal (D-At large) of Takoma Park was one of two council members to vote against the legislation. The other—Councilwoman Nancy Floreen (D-At large) of Garrett Park called the measure “unnecessary legislation,” The Gazette reported. 

The rules for tree-chopping in Takoma Park’s city limits are a bit different—but it’ll still cost you to take down a tree in the city.

So what do you think? Is the County Council’s three-for-one reforestation plan a smart move to maintain the county’s canopy? When it comes to cost, does the new law fail to see the forest for the trees? Tell us in the comments.