The City Council on Tuesday asked city counsel to update and strengthen penalties for individuals who harm trees in Los Angeles -- a move that comes after a man used a chainsaw to cut down a dozen trees in downtown earlier this year.
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In a 13-0 vote, council members approved a motion introduced by Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado, who represents downtown neighborhoods. Council members Adrin Nazarian and Marqueece Harris-Dawson were absent during the vote.
City officials have proposed tiered penalties based on the age, extent of injury and percentage of tree canopy lost, as well as the creation of an outreach plan to boost awareness of the city's regulations protecting trees.
Councilmember Imelda Padilla told KNX News’ Craig Fiegener that she wants a new city law that would increase the financial penalties for "injuring" a city-owned tree
“Trees do something that actually benefits all of humanity,” she said. “Tree canopy and all of the studies related to why they're important to beautification, for health, for mental health. In the rare occasions where someone feels like they need to destroy that, we need to really prioritize that as more than just equivalent to getting a spray can and doing something to a building. This is very serious.”
Council members requested the report within 15 days for their consideration.
In May, Jurado joined conservation groups and residents to plant new trees in the areas where they were cut down by the perpetrator, who was captured on camera toppling trees at Grand Avenue and Wells Fargo Center, Olympic Street and Figueroa Boulevard, Broadway and Cesar Chavez Avenue, and at Grand Avenue and Fifth Street.
North East Trees and LA Conservation Corps donated the trees, which were sponsored by Arizona State University.
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