Image credit: New York City Council.
On September 14, 2023, New York City Council Member James Gennaro introduced Int. 1169 to set stricter safety standards, timelines, and procedures under the Department of Parks and Recreation’s Tree Risk Management Program. The bill amends Local Law 20 – passed by the City Council on January 9, 2022 – that governs tree inspection and health assessments by the Department of Parks and Recreation. Pursuant to Local Law 20, a member of the general public may contact the Department of Parks and Recreation’s Tree Risk Management Program through its website, app, or the 311 hotline, if that member believes that a tree presents a safety risk on a City street or public park.
Int. 1169 would create more detailed definitions, increase the timeliness of inspections, and require more robust reporting requirements for the Department of Parks and Recreation. For example, Int. 1169 would separate tree-related risks into four (4) levels: extreme, high, moderate, and low-risk. Moreover, Int. 1169 would require the Department of Parks and Recreation to respond more quickly to public requests that present ‘extreme’ or ‘high risk’ – no later than 7 and 28…
