‘Stump city:’ Winter Springs tree removal policy could change after issues raised

In June of 2025, Winter Springs resident John McLaurin got a text message from his wife that the city was trimming the tree outside. 

Then, he got another text: They’re doing more than trimming. A lot more. By the time he got home, there was nothing but a stump on the patch of land between the sidewalk and the road. 

“I planted that tree probably in ’97,” McLaurin said. “What the heck? Nobody notified us. There was nothing wrong with that tree. It actually added extra shade to our yard.”

McLaurin is one of several residents interviewed by Oviedo Community News upset at a recent uptick in tree removals and trimmings in the city – an estimated 60 trees removed in the last year. 

A Winter Springs tree removal policy could see significant changes after a commissioner raised issues about how much the city is spending Monday night. 

Others, though, called it a “gotcha” moment sprung on the city’s staff. 

Winter Springs commissioners want staff to come back with possible updates to its tree policy, potentially requiring that the city replace every tree that it cuts down in the city. The city could also require its on-staff arborist to be certified by the International Society of Arboriculture, or ISA. 

Winter Springs City Commissioner Mark Caruso said the city had spent more than $427,000 with three vendors to cut down trees in the last year. Staff said the actual figure was $218,000 in the year so far. 

“I just don’t want us to be called stump city instead of tree city,” Caruso said. “That’s the biggest thing.” 

City officials, though, said there was a specific reason more trees have been cut down: A car accident in 2025 caused by a fallen tree, and a warning from the city’s insurance company that it wouldn’t pay out for claims caused by trees where the city knew there were issues. 

“Deferred maintenance has put us into this predicament,” City Manager Kevin Sweet said. “And I’m not gonna sit up here as a city manager and continue to kick the can down the road and not address  these issues. This is just one issue.”

For McLaurin, to this day, the spot is still a bald patch between the sidewalk and the road. 

“If I took a tree out, I’m obligated to replace it with a tree, so what gives (the city) the right to deviate from what we’re supposed to be doing (as residents)?” McLaurin asked.

A tree falls on a car, crushing the top

In April of 2025, a black Mazda Miata was traveling  northbound on South Moss Road in Winter Springs.

According to police reports and video, it was a clear day, bright and sunny. As the Miata passed underneath an oak tree, it collapsed on top of the car, crushing the top and knocking the driver unconscious. 

The Miata crossed the oncoming lane of traffic, went over the sidewalk, hit another tree and almost hit a home. 

“This individual made it out, he was knocked unconscious, had severe lacerations, was transported to the hospital,” Sweet said after playing the video for commissioners Monday. “Another millimeter (or) second could have changed that outcome. … Thankfully there’s another tree there that kept him from driving through the front living room of that home, and or killing a pedestrian that could have been on that sidewalk.”

Calls to the driver of the Miata were not returned before press deadline. Sweet said the city paid a $25,000 deductible for the claim. The overall claim was settled last week for an undisclosed amount. 

The city’s insurance carrier said that if the city knew about issues with a tree, the insurance carrier wouldn’t cover the claim and the city would potentially have to pay the full cost, according to Sweet. 

“This here is the reason why we’re proactively addressing our tree canopy and our tree issues in the city,” Sweet said while showing the video to commissioners. 

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Barking up the wrong tree

The issue put a growing rift between Caruso and Sweet on full display. 

At the June 8 meeting, Caruso first raised the issue during his report, which each commissioner gives during the last portion of each meeting. Caruso held up papers, saying the city had spent more than $427,000 on tree removal, and questioned whether the city commission should be overseeing the contracts because of the cost over time.

“So what I have in my hand here is gross spending,” Caruso said. “Trees getting cut down. No arborist. No arborist from the company. Seven months of spending here. $427,000. How is that possible? There are some here over $50,000. Does that have to come before the commission?”

Sweet called it a “gotcha” moment. Sweet said he did respond to Caruso’s original emailed request for information in April. He said the city has not spent $427,000;  the city instead had spent $218,630 with three vendors on tree removal in the current fiscal year. 

“Raising a serious allegation in a ‘ gotcha’ fashion, without first seeking clarification or the opportunity to gather and provide information, can unintentionally mislead the public and undermine confidence in the City’s work, even when staff have acted appropriately,” Sweet said, reading from a prepared statement. 

Sweet wrote in a memo to the commission that all procurement followed “city procedures.” He referenced a public meeting in November when the city clarified that money from the tree fees can be used to remove trees. That came after Commissioner Victoria Bruce objected to tree fund money being used to buy equipment.

This isn’t the first time the issue of trees has become contentious in Winter Springs. The city voted to spend $500,000 over two budgets to replace trees in Tuskawilla Crossing that are damaging sidewalks and roads. And the City Commission flip-flopped, ultimately voting to charge a developer $227,000 to cut down trees for development in the town center after residents spoke out. 

“In each instance, I found no evidence that these funds were used outside of their intended purpose or approved budgets,” Sweet wrote. “As noted by City staff during the first public hearing on Nov. 10, 2025, tree removals are included among the functions identified under Standard 3 of the Community Tree Care Activities program.”

Caruso’s allegations generated headlines about concerns of mismanagement. Mayor Kevin McCann said Caruso should have talked to the city manager in person about his concerns.

Caruso said he had sent an email: “How long should I have to wait?” Caruso asked.

“This is self-inflicted. And it’s not accurate,” McCann said. “I understand you have some points and you want to get answers back. But this was not handled appropriately. It gave us a black eye unnecessarily.”

Caruso pushed back on that. 

“Mayor, when you don’t get answers, it draws a red flag,” Caruso said. “When someone is stonewalling, that’s a red flag.” 

Others on the dais also defended the city manager. Commissioner Paul Diaz, who frequently criticizes government spending, said he didn’t see an issue with spending to take down trees. 

Diaz said the commission’s role is one to set policy, not to “micromanage (from) up here.”

“In an organization as large as ours is, we have to give some management wiggle room,” Diaz said. “This city manager has always been very open-door. I’m not seeing it yet. This didn’t come across as government waste at face value. But this one – I don’t know what tree we’re barking up. I don’t know.” 

City commissioners didn’t vote on the issue Monday night. Instead, city staff will come back with possible updates to the city’s tree policy, possibly requiring the city to replant trees whenever a tree is removed. The city has removed an estimated 60 trees so far this year, said Winter Springs Spokesperson Matt Reeser. 

The city could also change policy and require the city’s on-staff arborist be certified. The current arborist is expected to finish certification in August.

“Another argument was the residents have to get an arborist report if they want to take their tree out on their property, but yet the city’s not using an arborist,” Caruso said. “Why do (residents) have to pay for an arborist report and then pay for the permit when the city doesn’t have to?”

Residents weigh in on tree issues

When Alyson Donovan was shopping for a home seven years ago, the avid runner chose her current home in part Winter Springs because of the tree-lined street. 

“Because of the shade,” she said. “Being able to walk the dogs in the shade was the reason we picked this house.”

Her next-door neighbor’s tree was cut down by one of the city’s contractors in the last year. Her neighbor had called because there were issues with the tree, and the city told them it needed to be cut down. But they left the stump.

Donovan said she likes the idea of requiring the city to replant trees that get removed. 

“I love it,” Donovan said. “I mean, we have dogs and we walk and we run, so having shaded sidewalks would be really great.”

Winter Springs resident Allison Moore recently bought a house in Winter Springs. Her insurance company told her she would need to trim a tree back before they would fully insure the house. 

She called an arborist, and was told she would need a certified arborist to evaluate and permit the tree trimming. Others said she didn’t need one. The city’s website also had a list of tree removal companies, but not all had a certified arborist. 

She said the process was frustrating. Her calls and emails to the city didn’t immediately get returned, although she later found out her tree company’s permit request had been approved. 

“More of my issue is a policy and procedural one,” Moore said. “It’s very confusing for a homeowner to know exactly what the process is.”

Plus, as a resident and taxpayer, she added: “It seems like an awful lot of money to spend on tree removal for a tree-friendly city,” Moore said.

City Attorney Anthony Garganese said that if the tree is a danger, under a recent Florida law, the city can’t require a permit to prune or remove the tree. 

“If it’s single-family residential and the tree is a danger to life or property, under the state law she can submit an arborist certificate or a certificate from a licensed architect and she’s exempt from permit and can remove the tree,”  Garganese said. 

Winter Springs Director of Administrative Services and Operations Brian Dunigan said sometimes people will call about a tree being cut down without a permit. Code enforcement shows up and the contractor has a letter from an arborist.

“Lo and behold, the arborist letter is on hand with the contractor, which pretty much covers that process,” Dunigan said. “Theoretically, they don’t even need to go through the process as long as they have that letter in hand. The point was made that we could probably do a lot better job communicating that. … That provision of the city code, it’s buried, I’ll be frank, it is buried deep down. … A lot of people just aren’t aware of it.” 

Abe Aboraya is a Report for America corps member