WILL BE BUDDING SOON—According to Dave Mortimer, who writes the “Ask the Arborist” column for this newspaper, the tree in the photo is an older version of the tree in the city’s new logo. It’s a valley oak (Quercus lobata). It has no leaves between November and March because it’s deciduous. The tree depicted is about 250 to 300 years old. It also has a typical canopy for a valley oak of that age, according to Mortimer. In about a month, residents will see light green leaves. Thousand Oaks probably won’t have to change its name to Hundred Oaks, but it’s now easier for property owners to chop down some of the namesake trees.

And homeowners may even be more willing to plant oak trees now that they don’t have to worry about government interference with future landscaping of the trees.

Until the Feb. 23 City Council meeting, a resident had to get a special permit to prune or remove any oak tree over 2 inches in diameter, even if the homeowner had planted it himself.

With a 4-1 vote, the City Council eased oak tree regulations and decreased fees to prune or remove the trees.

Residents can now apply to have the city determine if the oak tree on their property is native or owner-planted. After using the age of the tree, landscape plans filed with the city and aerial photographs that go back to 1976, if it’s determined that the tree is owner-planted, the homeowner can do whatever he wants with it.

Councilmember Claudia Billde la Peña voted against the simplification of oak tree protection in Thousand Oaks. She said it would be “nearly impossible” to prove whether a tree was planted by the property owner.

Former city planning commissioner Janet Wall urged the City Council not to support a change in the tree ordinance.

Wall said all oak trees are native trees and are going to be the trees that can survive in Thousand Oaks without water as they have for generations.

“You’re heading in the wrong direction,” she said.

But most of the eight Thousand Oaks residents who gave their opinions during the public speakers’ time asked council members to approve the new ordinance.

Several, including former mayor Judy Lazar, called the new ordinance “common sense.”

“An oak tree planted by a property owner can’t be removed today. That’s just not right,” Lazar said.

Oak trees planted at the 80-unit condominium Braemar Gardens are causing trouble with sewer lines, breaking up driveways and walkways and growing into power lines, said George Hutchinson, president of the Braemar Gardens Homeowners Association.

The condos are surrounded by 500 trees, of which 95 are oaks and eight are protected sycamores, Hutchinson said.

He said he was in favor of the new ordinance.