Tree Management Permit - Application Guidelines - Wollongong City ...

TREE MANAGEMENT PERMIT
APPLICATION GUIDELINES
FACT SHEET
Disclaimers:
This information was believed to be correct at the date of its publication. This information is for general information purposes only and
should not be relied upon for legal advice.
SECTION 1 TREE MANAGEMENT POLICY 2013
Purpose of the Policy
Terms of Policy
Wollongong City Council’s Tree Management Policy 2013 allows proper assessment to be made of the
environmental importance and viability of trees before they are pruned, removed or damaged in any way.
This Policy prohibits the ringbarking, cutting down, topping, lopping, removing, injuring or destruction of any
tree except with the prior written consent of Council.
Any person acting on a permit issued under this Policy must comply with all conditions of that permit.
Any person who contravenes, or causes or permits the contravention of this Policy is guilty of an offence
under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.
SECTION 2
Tree Requirements
Note
SECTION 3
EXEMPTIONS
NOTES
AFFECTED TREES
The Tree Management Policy applies to any tree that:
• is 3 metres or more in height,
• has a trunk diameter of 200 mm or more at a height of 1 metre from the ground, or
• has a branch spread of 3 metres or more
• A dead or dying tree is subject to the Tree Management Policy.
• Pruning of major structural or anchor roots is also subject to the Tree Management Policy.
EXEMPT TREES
Common Name
African fern pine, Yellowwood
African Olive
Alder
Black Locust
Box Elder
Camphor Laurel
Canary Island Date Palm
China Doll
Chinese Tallow
Cocos or Queen Palm
Common Hackberry
Coral Tree
Cotoneaster
Domestic Fruit Trees
Golden Cypress Pine
Goldenrain Tree
Honey Locust
Kaffir Plum
Liquidambar
Norfolk Island Hibiscus/Itchy Pod Tree
Oleander
Pepper Tree
Poplar
Privet
Radiata Pine
Rubber Tree
Silky Oak
Umbrella Tree
Willow
Botanical Name
Afrocarpus falcatus (Syn. Nageia falcatus)
Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata
Alnus species
Robina pseudoacacia
Acer negundo
Cinnamomum camphora
Phoenix canariensis
Radermachera sinica
Triadica sebifera [Sapium sebiferum]
Syagrus romanzoffiana
Celtis occidentalis
Erythrina x sykesii
Cotoneaster species
Cuppressus macrocarpa ‘Brunniana’
Koelreuteria paniculata
Gleditsia triacanthos
Harpephyllum caffrum
Liquidambar species
Lagunaria patersonii
Nerium oleander
Schinus areira
Populus species
Ligustrum species
Pinus radiata
Ficus elastica
Grevillea robusta
Schefflera actinophylla
Salix species
1 The exemption does not apply to any of the above tree species where the tree is within the curtilage of an
item of environmental heritage or upon land within a Heritage Conservation Area as identified in the
Wollongong Local Environmental Plan 2009. In such cases, the lodgement of a Development Application
is required.
2 A maximum of five (5) trees only may be removed at any one time under this exemption clause, to avoid
adverse affects of possible land clearing activities.
3 It is recommended that a photograph of the exempt tree be kept by the tree owner to confirm the exempt
tree species.
▪ Address: Wollongong City Council, 41 Burelli Street, Wollongong NSW 2500 ▪ Postal: Locked Bag 8821 Wollongong DC NSW 2500 ▪ Phone: (02) 4227 7111
▪ Fax: (02) 4227 7277 ▪ Email: council@wollongong.nsw.gov.au ▪ Web: www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au ▪ ABN 63 139 525 939 – GST Registered
Environmental Strategy & Planning - 1 - Updated: September 2013 TRIM: Z13/52905

TREE MANAGEMENT PERMIT
APPLICATION GUIDELINES
FACT SHEET
Disclaimers:
This information was believed to be correct at the date of its publication. This information is for general information purposes only and
should not be relied upon for legal advice.
OTHER EXEMPTIONS a.
Where a tree is declared a noxious weed in the Wollongong local government area under the Noxious
Weeds Act 1993, or any management plan published by the Illawarra District Noxious Weeds Authority.
SECTION 4
b. Where a tree has been approved for removal or management action under a Development Consent.
c. Bushfire hazard reduction work, authorised by the NSW Rural Fire Service under the Rural Fires Act
1997.
d. Where action is required or authorised in accordance with the Electricity Supply Act 1995, the Roads Act
1993, the Surveying and Spatial Information Act 2002, the Telecommunications Act 1997 or the Sydney
Water Act 1994, or any other NSW Statutory Authority.
e. Where action is carried out by Council, State Emergency Service, Rural Fire Service, or another
infrastructure authority/emergency service authority in response to an emergency (i.e. where there is an
immediate threat of injury to persons or damage to property). See Note below.
f. Any works to make safe a tree where there is an immediate threat of injury to persons or damage to
property, either during or within 48 hours following a severe weather event.
See Note below.
g. Where the works are undertaken by Council or a contractor acting on behalf of Council on Council owned
or controlled public land, including but not limited to lands within a sportsground, park, reserve, road
reserve, or riparian corridor.
Note: A Tree Management Application or Development Application must be lodged with Council for the
removal or further pruning of a tree within 72 hours from the date of the emergency pruning works for any
tree upon private land. Refer to the Dangerous Trees Procedure within the Policy.
APPLICATIONS AND ENQUIRES
APPLICATIONS The submission of a Tree Management Permit application is required for the pruning or removal of any tree
as identified in Section 2 Affected Trees. There are two options to apply for a Tree Management Permit:
Option 1 - Lodge an application online. Online applications require payment of the prescribed application fee
(as per Council’s adopted Fees and Charges) at time of lodgement via a credit card for the application to be
accepted.
Option 2 – Complete a hard copy application form. Applications must be made using the current prescribed
form (application forms can be obtained from Council’s website via the following link
http://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/services/household/trees/Pages/lodgeatmp.aspx), and must contain the
required information and be accompanied by the application fee (as per Council’s adopted Fees and
Charges).
Land owner’s consent is required for a Tree Management Permit. This means that all property owners on the
land that the tree(s) are situated must sign the application form. Alternatively, supporting documentation
which authorises the lodgement of the application must be included with the application when signing on
behalf of the owner as their legal representative, such as Power of Attorney, directors of companies, trustees,
executors, etc.
A maximum of three (3) Tree Management Permit Applications may be lodged with Council at any one time.
Each Tree Management Permit Application is limited to a maximum of five (5) trees per application.
Where a property is in a Strata Plan under the Strata Schemes (Freehold Development) Act 1973 or the
Strata Schemes (Leasehold Development) Act 1986, the written consent and Body Corporate seal/stamp is
required from the Owner’s Corporation authorising the lodgement of the application.
ENQUIRIES Enquiries concerning the Tree Management Policy may be made at:
Wollongong City Council
Customer Service, Ground Floor
Council Administration Building
41 Burelli Street
Wollongong NSW 2500
Ph: (02) 4227 7111
▪ Address: Wollongong City Council, 41 Burelli Street, Wollongong NSW 2500 ▪ Postal: Locked Bag 8821 Wollongong DC NSW 2500 ▪ Phone: (02) 4227 7111
▪ Fax: (02) 4227 7277 ▪ Email: council@wollongong.nsw.gov.au ▪ Web: www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au ▪ ABN 63 139 525 939 – GST Registered
Environmental Strategy & Planning - 2 -