mxx1's avatar

Scribbly Shit

Why do I need a special permit to trim my mother’s tree? It’s leaning over her house, filling up her gutters with leaves and generally just worrying her.

The council letter says the property has “Significant Urban Vegetation” protected under Brisbane’s Natural Assets Local Law.

It says this protects trees considered rare, culturally, historically or environmentally significant, or contributing to Brisbane’s landscape character.

FFS, it’s a 10 year old scribbly bark piece of rubbish, on a block which is filthy with inappropriately placed huge gums surrounding all these houses.

This is a concrete example of the broader point about cumulative regulation: individually, protecting significant vegetation can have a rational policy justification. But who defines significant?

Collectively, these restrictions create the experience that increasingly feels like authoritarian government control.

For a one-off trim, use Brisbane City Council’s “Application to carry out works on protected vegetation” online form. You provide the property address, identify the tree, describe exactly what you want trimmed and why, explain how the work will be done and attach photos and usually a simple site sketch. If the Council regards it as a Significant Landscape Tree, it may require an AQF Level 5 arborist report. The application is free and Council says it will contact applicants within 20 business days.

https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/online-services/environment-and-water/protected-vegetation-application?utm_source=chatgpt.com

If they say no, you’re shit out of luck. Of course there is an appeals process…

If Council refuses the permit, you can apply in writing for an internal review within 21 days of receiving the refusal. You must state the grounds of challenge and the facts supporting them. The permitted grounds include failure to follow required procedure, lack of evidence or material supporting the decision or improper exercise of power, including failing to consider relevant matters or acting unreasonably.

If that review still goes against you, you get a second, further review, again by written application within 21 days. At that stage you explain why the reconsidered decision is not the “correct or preferable decision”. That review must be handled by someone other than the original decision-maker or first reviewer and not by someone less senior.

Lol. It’s easier just to vote for Pauline. Not that she would change anything.