Official tree designation sets tempers aflame

BY PRU SOWERS

KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER

For anyone who thinks the Royal Poinciana is just another tree, a whole lot of people beg to differ.

Expressing emotions that rivaled any political disagreements, Key West City Commissioners passed a stripped-down version of a resolution that had been postponed by the city Tree Commission. That suspended resolution would have recommended naming the Royal Poinciana as the official tree of Key West but it also proposed that the city impose significantly higher fines for cutting down a Poinciana as well as other so-called “canopy” trees. While the higher fines – which propose to double the caliper inch penalty to cut down a Royal Poinciana from $150 to $300 – were a cause for debate between Tree Commissioners, the official tree designation idea pitted Mayor Craig Cates against the city’s Urban Forestry Manager, Karen DeMaria, at the tree commission’s May 8 meeting. DeMaria argued against the designation, pointing out that the Royal Poinciana is not indigenous to Key West and other local trees like the Sapodilla and Spanish Lime would be more appropriate.

That set off Cates, who told DeMaria that it was not her job as a staff member to give her personal opinion. The Tree Commission will make the recommendation, he said.

“I’m really disappointed the way you spoke against it when you’re an employee of the city of Key West and you’re giving your personal opinions that you don’t like Royal Poinciana trees,” Cates told DeMaria, who responded that she had no problem with Royal Poincianas, only that the resolution containing the higher fines needed more work.

Fast forward to the city commission meeting on May 15. Cates put a resolution on the agenda naming the Royal Poinciana as the official tree of Key West but made no mention of any fines for cutting one down. That caused Commissioner Margaret Romero, who is often at odds with Cates, to allege there had been an effort to push the tree proclamation through without giving the Tree Commission and residents time to comment.

“We’re rushing to something that has no need to be rushed into,” she said. “I am not comfortable with the lack of transparency.”

Romero pointed to a one-day delay in getting the commission agenda posted on the city’s website. Under city regulations, the agenda has to be posted no less than one week before the meeting. But the agenda for the Tuesday, May 15, meeting wasn’t posted until Wednesday, May 9. City Clerk Cheri Smith, under questioning by Romero, acknowledged she held up posting the agenda because a commissioner had asked for more time to gather background information on an agenda item. However, Commissioner Clayton Lopez jumped in to say he was the one who asked Smith for the delay, not Cates, and it was because he was not done collecting information for another agenda item unrelated to the Poinciana resolution.

“I’m actually insulted,” he told Romero.

City Attorney Shawn Smith said that while city regulations do indeed require the commission meeting agenda to be posted a week ahead, there have been numerous occasions in the past when the agenda had been held up. Commissioner Sam Kaufman tried to calm the debate down.

“I think we’re making this much more than it needs to be,” he said, asking everyone to “take a deep breath.”

But it wasn’t just commissioners who wanted to talk about the Royal Poinciana official tree idea. Several residents spoke at the meeting. They came down about 50-50 for and against but opinions were no less expressive.

“Is this proclamation to be used to coerce our Tree Commission at their next meeting to adopt those [tree cutting fine] changes as they are currently proposed,” asked Glenn Anderson. “We believe the new [fine] proposals as they are currently written will be the final nail in the coffin of our canopy trees.”

“One of the jobs of you folks is to represent the citizens,” said resident Bob Bell. “I don’t believe enough citizens have weighed in with you folks to let you know this is what they want.”

“The Royal Poinciana is perfect for Key West,” argued local photographer Ralph DePalma. “You talk about natural beauty, there’s just not much more beautiful than the Royal Poinciana.”

After all the sturm und drang, commissioners voted unanimously to select the Royal Poinciana as the official tree of Key West. But not before Commissioner Richard Payne read a prepared statement comparing the tree to the immigrants who traveled to Key West to put down roots here.

“In this discussion, I think we need to remember that we are all immigrants to this island,” he said. “So Key West is an island of immigrants, both plant and animal.”

And Romero, who eventually voted for the official tree designation, couldn’t resist one last comment.

“I like the Royal Poinciana. I don’t like that we’re not following our own established processes,” she said.

In 2017, 31 Royal Poincianas were cut down, according to forestry manager DeMaria. Only two were replanted.

[livemarket market_name="KONK Life LiveMarket" limit=3 category=“” show_signup=0 show_more=0]