Residential property rights and holding developers accountable for felling trees without a permit were key concerns brought up before the Albany Tree Commission on Thursday.

The commission held a public hearing on possible changes to the city’s municipal and development tree codes. Twenty-eight people attended, and the city received about 30 comments on proposed changes before Thursday.

Possible revisions include consolidating all tree removal regulations into one place; setting a limit on a lot size for individual and large tree removals; and clarifying criteria for tree removal on property under development.

There was disagreement as to whether small lots should be entirely exempt from the tree provisions in the municipal code. However, the majority of comments received by the commission were in favor of maintaining an ordinance governing tree removal on residential property.

Members of Friends of Mature Albany Trees suggested revising the municipal code to exempt lots of 3,500 square feet or less from tree removal permit requirements because the commission usually approves such requests anyway.

From the time the codes were enacted in 2001 until late September 2007, there were 313 requests to cut down trees and all but 18 were approved.

The reason for such a high rate of approval is that the trees are on small residential lots and are more likely to be a hazard, said City Forester Craig Carnagey.

Another key point raised was that developers need to be held accountable when they cut trees without proper permits. The trees cut are often sold for more than the fines imposed by the city, said former tree commission member Bodie Dickerson.

Adding some of the language from the municipal code to clarify the development code was suggested, along with imposing penalties that would deter developers from cutting trees before the proper permits are granted.

The next meeting will be Thursday, Nov. 15, to discuss the comments made during this week’s meeting and prepare recommendations to present to the Albany City Council in December.

Members of the tree commission are Chairman Jay Neil, Rick Carter, Glenn Dockter, Richard Miles and Tom Krupicka.