Findlay seeks to clarify tree rules

FINDLAY — A proposed update to Findlay's tree ordinance would modernize planting and spacing rules, reorganize outdated language and bring the city's code in line with state urban‑forestry best practices, according to a draft reviewed by city council on Feb. 17. The rewrite retains the city's authority over tree‑lawn plantings while clarifying where new trees may be placed and how those sites should be evaluated. Councilman Dan DeArment, R-4, said it should also include an appeals process for homeowners. DeArment said the city's existing authority to order hazardous‑tree removals — and to bill triple the cost if a homeowner fails to comply — should be paired with a formal right of appeal. He said residents deserve a structured process to contest or question removal decisions before the city intervenes. DeArment recalled times when crews spray‑painted trees with no explanation, and neighbors had no way to challenge the decision. Without an appeal mechanism, he said, residents have no recourse when a tree is flagged. "There's no appeal process," DeArment told council, adding that "there was no communication plan" in past removals on streets like Glendale Avenue. He said homeowners should at least "be able to come and be heard on why it's being removed" and have the chance to explain when a mature tree poses no conflict with sewer or water lines. Homeowners must still obtain approval before removing a right‑of‑way tree, and unauthorized removals still require replacement at the owner's expense. Mayor Christina Muryn said the rewrite is not aimed at changing enforcement but at updating planting standards, definitions and formatting. She said staff already communicates with homeowners when questions arise, but agreed that notification practices can always be improved. The updates, she said, are meant to reflect guidance from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and ensure the city's regulatory framework "reflects current standards and strengthens long‑term stewardship" of Findlay's urban forest. Muryn said the city has been steadily expanding its tree canopy, and said Findlay is preparing for "a tree canopy assessment" along with targeted dead‑tree removals on city property. In 2024, Findlay secured a $267,000 Ohio Department of Natural Resources urban‑forestry grant to help rebuild the city's aging canopy. The grant funds the replacement of 300 deteriorating trees, many of them more than a century old and posing risks to streets, utilities and sidewalks. It also covers the cost of professional arborist assistance, risk assessment work, and training for city crews and volunteers. A part‑time urban‑forestry technician will coordinate public outreach, educational programs and tree‑care activities under the grant. The initiative follows years of canopy loss — most notably from the 2012 derecho. A 2022 Scioto Analysis report shows that Findlay had one of the lowest canopy‑coverage percentages among Ohio cities. City officials have said the grant is essential to restoring canopy coverage, strengthening neighborhood aesthetics and improving long‑term public safety. Muryn acknowledged public sensitivity around tree removals. "People react when we are cutting down trees," she said, adding that the administration shares that feeling: "We also don't like cutting down trees, but sometimes it happens." Muryn said that over the years, the city's application of those rules had become increasingly cautious, gradually "whittling down where folks could plant trees" in the tree lawn as staff tried to avoid conflicts with utilities and sidewalks. The revised draft lays out the same measurements but ties them more directly to tree size, utility location and ODNR best‑practice guidance, giving staff a clearer, more flexible framework for evaluating planting requests. She said the updated rules help reverse decades of restrictions that narrowed where tree‑lawn plantings were allowed. The city is now "working diligently to make sure that we increase as many possible spots for trees to be planted while also protecting our utilities and our investments." Muryn told DeArment the draft reflects reduced setback distances that were incorporated during the past year of work on the ordinance to widen planting opportunities. The update also modernizes definitions throughout Chapter 913 of the city's code and clarifies the Shade Tree Commission's advisory and educational responsibilities, aiming to make the ordinance easier to navigate for residents, developers and city staff. Council Kevin Cullen, I-5, thanked city officials for their efforts to better manage the Findlay's tree canopy. "I would just like to thank you for your comments, and I did know that Mr. DeArment was a tree hugger, but you know what?" said Cullen. "I tell you what, I come from Fremont originally, and that was a tree city until a tornado ripped half of it out, and it's never been the same. They're not replanting them, and if we are, bravo. And I think it's really important for so many reasons." The ordinance is expected to receive its second reading at council's regular meeting on Tuesday. Council will meet at 6 p.m. in the Findlay Municipal Building, 318 Dorney Plaza. All council meetings are open to the public and are livestreamed on the city's YouTube channel: Findlay Ohio. Council also received the Shade Tree Commission's 2025 annual report, which outlines a year of steady planting and maintenance work. The city planted 90 new trees through the Request‑A‑Tree program, pruned 119 trees and removed 145, while Public Works recorded $170,129 in tree‑related labor and material costs. Twenty‑nine volunteers contributed 238 hours across various projects. Findlay also marked its 43rd year as a Tree City USA community and made progress on several initiatives planned for 2026, including a proposed urban prairie, the state urban‑forestry grant, which is meant to focus on underserved neighborhoods and the distribution of 250 oak trees for America's 250th anniversary.