Trimming trees in Thousand Oaks just got more expensive.

It took under 2½ minutes for the City Council to pass a $150 tree-trimming permit fee, with no public speakers or council discussion on the topic.

Those who are included in the city-approved landscape plan who want to trim more than 25 percent from the canopy or the foliage of a tree on their property must now pay the permit fee, the council decided 4-0 on Jan. 26. Claudia Bill-de la Peña was absent.

A new tree pruning ordinance went into law on Dec. 18 to protect the beauty of the city’s trees. The ordinance prohibits trimming trees more than 25 percent, topping them off or “lion’s tailing” trees—a generally harmful practice of removing an excessive number of branches from the lower two thirds of a stem or branch.

To get a variance on this, the property owner must go to the city and get permission.

No requests have been made for a tree-trimming permit since that ordinance was passed, but city staff meanwhile determined the application process for special permission to trim more off a tree would require time for staff members. Anyone requesting a permit would be required to pay for it with the application.

The city’s fee policy is designed so those who use a particular service at city hall are the ones who pay for that specific service.

According to a city report, a tree-trimming permit would cost $149.24, consisting of $21 for 15 minutes of a technician’s time, $17.68 for 15 minutes of a customer service representative’s time, $40.59 for 15 minutes of a planning manager’s time and $70 for one hour of work from a landscape consultant.

Currently, city staff is reaching out to property owners, management companies and landscape professionals to let them know about the new ordinance, said Community Development Director John Prescott in a report to the City Council.

—Nancy Needham