At the August 25th, 2025 City Commission Meeting, I brought forward an important initiative to ensure that Winter Springs lives up to its name and its values when it comes to trees, sustainability, and transparency.
After months of reviewing city records and hearing resident concerns, we discovered a troubling pattern in how Arbor Fund dollars were being spent. This fund, established to mitigate the loss of trees removed by developers, was being used almost entirely for tree removal, equipment purchases, and general overhead. Only about 13 percent of this year’s Arbor Fund spending went toward planting new trees.
That’s not acceptable, and we fixed it.
The new ordinance I proposed and championed (Ordinance 2025-16) officially closes the loopholes that allowed Arbor Fund dollars to be spent on trucks and large-scale tree removals. Going forward, Arbor Fund dollars must be used for:
- Planting new, desirable trees on public land
- Maintaining those trees
- Meeting Tree City USA standards
No more trucks. No more treating tree removal as “mitigation.” Just actual replanting and tree restoration.
Why This Matters
As someone who has spent more than 18 years in environmental restoration through my work in mitigation banking, I understand the importance of ecological balance. When trees are removed for development, there must be a meaningful, measurable effort to replace what has been lost. Trees are not just decorative. They provide shade, reduce flooding, improve air quality, and increase property values. They are part of our community’s infrastructure.
Our prior ordinance was vague. It allowed too much spending flexibility without real accountability. That’s how the fund ended up being used to buy trucks—until staff confirmed that use publicly in response to a question at our August meeting.
This new ordinance now aligns policy with purpose. It also aligns Winter Springs with best practices from cities like Oviedo, which have already updated their own tree mitigation codes to ensure better environmental outcomes.
What Happens Next
Winter Springs will now begin using these funds the way they were intended—to plant trees, to replace what was lost, and to invest in our green future. City staff will also prepare a long-term plan to better distribute beautification and canopy restoration throughout the city, including historically underfunded west-side neighborhoods.
Additionally, we will ensure that:
- Each dollar from the Arbor Fund is trackable.
- Tree replacement is based on ecological function, not just landscaping aesthetics.
- “Desirable tree species” (as listed in our City Code) are prioritized.
What You Can Do
- Stay informed.
- Get involved with your HOA or neighborhood association to request tree plantings.
- Attend commission meetings or contact my office to share your priorities for parks, green spaces, and replanting efforts.
Updated Ordinance:
This is a win for residents. A win for transparency. A win for trees.
And it’s only the beginning.
Let’s continue building a Winter Springs that grows with purpose and care, one tree at a time.
—
With appreciation,
Victoria K. Bruce
Winter Springs City Commissioner, District 2
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