Mayor Caldwell signs exceptional trees bill into law

The Outdoor Circle applauds the Honolulu City Council and Mayor Caldwell for passing the Exceptional Trees bill. From the City & County of Honolulu Press Release:

Honolulu – Mayor Caldwell today signed Bill 84 (2014), CD1 into law, amending the city’s register of exceptional trees and clarifying the powers, duties, and procedures of the Honolulu Arborist Advisory Committee.

“O‘ahu’s exceptional trees are an important part of our history and identity,” said Mayor Caldwell. “It’s our responsibility to protect them as a part of a lasting legacy to our fragile environment and to the people who live here.  I’m grateful to the Outdoor Circle, Department of Parks and Recreation, Arborist Advisory Committee, owners of property where these precious trees are located, and the City Council for working together to craft this important update.  Bill 84 helps keep our island home clean, green, and beautiful for generations to come.”

Bill 84 was introduced by request of the Department of Parks and Recreation and supported in testimony by the Outdoor Circle.  With a 9-0 vote on May 6, 2015, the bill was unanimously adopted by City Council and sent to Mayor Caldwell for his signature.  

The bill adds 36 notable trees and a grove of 8 palms to the register of exceptional trees.  The newly-designated trees include: historic trees at Washington Place linked to Queen Lili`uokalani, a grove of `Ohe Makai trees at Waimea Valley, and trees at several homes listed on the National Historic Register, such as the Cooke Estate in Mānoa.  The property owners are commended for their diligent work in assuring that these truly exceptional trees are preserved for future generations to enjoy.  

Additional highlights of Bill 84 include:

• Allowing the Director of Parks and Recreation, or an authorized representative, to remove an exceptional tree in an emergency situation for public safety reasons.
  
• All property Tax Map Keys were updated and reformatted with the assistance of Department of Planning and Permitting personnel.
  
• The scientific Latin names for the various tree species were updated to reflect current taxonomic standards.
  
• The entire list of Exceptional Trees was converted to an easy-to-read table format, making the directory more accessible to the public.
  

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