By Will Pafford, Staff Writer

The first funds in the new West Lake Hills landscape fund came from a recent lawsuit settlement.

Mayor Dave Claunch signed the settlement that deposits $5,000 in the city’s landscape fund during the City Council meeting on May 27. 

The lawsuit originated in October, when the resident of a property on Sugar Creek Drive, AJ Meade, or the landscape company he hired, cut down trees on the property in violation of the city’s tree ordinance, according to Assistant City Attorney Roger Gordon. 

City officials met with the landscapers prior to the violation, but the city and the landscapers disagree about whether officials said they could cut and remove any tree less than three caliper inches or six caliper inches, Gordon said. 

The city’s ordinance states residents must have permission from city staff to remove trees less than 14 caliper inches. Property owners must have permission from the City Council to remove trees greater than 14 caliper inches, City Administrator Robert Wood said.  

A few days after the meeting, the city discovered the lot had been clear-cut, in violation of the city’s tree ordinance, Gordon said. 

The city obtained an injunction to prevent any more tree removal and began working with Meade and the landscape company. 

“This wasn’t a very adversarial proceeding,” Gordon said. 

Although Meade did not admit liability, he agreed to replace all the trees he removed that were greater than three inches. 

“No one is admitting liability,” Gordon said. 

Meade is replacing 200 caliper inches total, as well as paying the city $5,000, according to the settlement. 

“This settlement underlies the importance of coordinating with City Hall before the removal of trees from your property,” Gordon said. 

The attorney for the property owner, Jeff Boyd, could not comment on the settlement by press time.