N.C. Church Fined $4,000 for Excessive Tree Pruning
A local church in Charlotte, North Carolina, learned the hard way that arborilogical endeavors can be expensive after receiving an excessive fine for improperly pruning its trees. The city of Charlotte fined the Albemarle Road Presbyterian Church $100 per branch cut for excessive pruning, amounting to a total violation of $4,000.
“I just couldn’t believe it when I heard it,” remarked Eddie Sales, whom the church hires to trim the trees on the property surrounding its building. “We trim our trees back every three years all over our property, and this is the first time we have been fined.”
Fox News reported, “The fine will be dropped if the church replaces each of the improperly pruned trees, said Tom Johnson, senior urban forester for [the] city of Charlotte Land Development Division.”
http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/7690-nc-church-fined-4000-for-excessive-tree-pruning
That’s just utter BS (the city’s attitude, not you). If it’s private property, the church should be able to cut them all down and lay astroturf if it wants.