Gulfport mayor vetoes tree removal permit for Pass Road business

GULFPORT -- Mayor Billy Hewes on Monday vetoed a tree removal permit granted to property owner Dennis Barber, who asked to cut down five Live oak trees on one of Pass Road's few shaded properties.

Hewes issued the veto as a follow-up to his announcement made Friday in a speech to the Gulfport Chamber of Commerce, in which he said he planned to veto the City Council's 5-2 vote allowing Barber to take out the trees for a parking lot.

Barber reportedly planned to rescind his request, but as of Monday had not.

"Regardless of whether or not Mr. Barber withdraws his application, the council still has to act upon a mayor's veto," Councilman R. Lee Flowers said. "In this case, if Mr. Barber withdraws his application, we may be able to just vote to accept the veto letter as a matter of record. We await clarification from the city attorney."

The office building just east of 28th Street, the former home of Gulf Regional Planning Commission, already has parking in the rear. Barber said front parking would make the building more marketable.

Hewes, along with council members R. Lee Flowers and Ella Holmes-Hines, didn't want to set a precedent by allowing the tree removal without a demonstrated need.

Hewes said Pass Road business owners have gotten together to improve the corridor, and adding rear parking is something the city has encouraged in some areas.

"Today, we ask our developers on a regular basis to not simply mitigate impacts, but to modify plans to avoid removal or damaging, or to incorporate protected trees in their designs," the mayor wrote in his veto.

Last week, Aaron Harris, an engineer representing property owner Dennis Barber, said Barber would try to save one or more of the oaks.

He said about 15 trees would remain, including Live oaks bigger than the five Barber intended to cut down.

This story was originally published December 14, 2015 at 7:40 PM with the headline "Gulfport mayor vetoes tree removal permit for Pass Road business ."