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M/CLOUDY Temp: 42 °F Wind: WNW at 3 mph Monday, March 3, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend February 11, 2003 Man’s tree removal fine will help alert others By TONY BOOM Mail Tribune ASHLAND — A $300 fine for illegally removing trees from a city right of way will be used to prepare materials educating tree cutters on a new city ordinance. Clarence Wangle of Beaver Tree Service will pay the amount as part of a diversion agreement reached with the city of Ashland. Wangle had been cited into municipal court on charges of removing a tree from public property without a permit. The agreement was submitted to the court Jan. 29. Wangle cut three large city trees on July 17 while also removing trees on a lot owned by William Duncan at 622 Morton St. The action came just one month after the city adopted an ordinance that required permits for tree removal on private property, and neighbors believed that Duncan had violated the new rules. Though Wangle was cited only for removing trees on public property, his fine will help make others aware of the new ordinance. "Wangle got diversion because he agreed to give money for an education project so that all the tree cutters know about the new regulations," said City Attorney Paul Nolte. "We couldn’t go after the landowner. For trees in the right of way, you have to involve persons who did the actual cutting." Duncan had told Wangle on more than one occasion that no city permit was necessary, Nolte said. "Wangle was extremely cooperative," said Nolte. "He knows what the law was. The landowner had misrepresented what the city position was." "I knew from a few months earlier that there were some proposals," said Duncan. "As far as I knew, it hadn’t been enacted. I was going to check first." Duncan said there was a lack of communication between him and Wangle during July. He asked Beaver Tree Service to fax him notice of insurance coverage, then planned to check on the ordinance before cutting. He never received the requested fax and never called the city. Wangle declined to comment on the incident. Four large trees cut on Duncan’s property were not covered by the new rules. The trees were within a pre-approved building footprint for a house he planned to construct. The new ordinance appears to be working. "We haven’t had a tree ordinance violation (on private property)," said Adam Hanks, city code enforcement officer. "We have done a lot of permits for removal." There has been one other violation of cutting a public tree, Hanks said. A windstorm just before Christmas resulted in a bunch of requests issued for emergency removals under the ordinance, said Hanks. Reach Ashland bureau reporter Tony Boom at 482-4651, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S