Officials have handed down a striking penalty after a couple allegedly cut down dozens of protected trees on a North Oakland hillside lot, sending a blunt message about what can happen when private development clashes with environmental protections.
According to the Associated Press, on Tuesday, the Oakland City Council approved a $915,135 fine against Emeryville residents Matthew Bernard and Lynn Warner after 38 trees were removed in violation of the city’s Protected Trees Ordinance.
The penalty may be the largest Oakland has ever issued for tree destruction, underscoring how seriously city leaders viewed the case…