TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: A. Jerome Fletcher II, ICMA-CM, MPA, City Manager
TITLE: An Ordinance of the City of North Port, Florida, Amending the Unified Land Development Code to Consolidate the Revenue Account Formerly Known as the Tree Fund into the Environmental Protection Fund by Amending Section 6.1.3.; Providing for Findings; Providing for Conflicts; Providing for Severability; Providing for Codification; And Providing an Effective Date.
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Recommended Action
Option 1: Approve Ordinance No. 2026-11 as presented and continue to second reading on May 19, 2026.
City Commission Options
Option 1: Approve Ordinance No. 2026-11 as presented and continue to second reading on May 19, 2026.
* Pros:
o Establishes clear legislative intent for the tree fund to be consolidated into the environmental protection fund and allows expenditure of previously generated revenue under the tree fund in the same manner as the environmental protection fund.
o Simplifies accounting and allowable expenditure tracking.
* Cons: Staff finds no identifiable disadvantages to approving the ordinance.
Option 2: Deny Ordinance No. 2026-11.
* Pros: Staff finds no identifiable advantages to denying the ordinance.
* Cons: Accounting and allowable expenditure tracking of funds will remain segregated until all revenue collected under the tree fund is expended.
Background Information
On February 22, 2022, the City Commission adopted Ordinance No. 2021-46, establishing the tree fund and providing that all administrative costs, fees and penalties collected as part of enforcement of the tree protection regulations be placed in said fund. Under Sec. 45-13.B. of the 2010 Unified Land Development Code (ULDC), the City Manager or designee shall have the authority to disburse funds for the continued management and maintenance of the City's tree canopy. Projects may include planting ...
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