To get an idea of how much the town of Woodside cares for the well-being of its trees, you need look no further than the four- and five-figure fines the town slaps on anyone who cuts down mature trees without having first obtained a permit.

The latest example, and by far the most dramatic, is set for review at the Town Council meeting on Tuesday, June 14, in Independence Hall at 2955 Woodside Road. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m.

The council will hear an appeal by resident Rudolph Koppl asking for relief from a $212,500 fine imposed by Town Hall staff for cutting down, without a permit, 22 mature trees  seven coast live oaks, 14 bay laurels and one madrone, according to a staff report.

Mr. Koppl applied for a tree-removal permit in July 2015, and it was in process when staff learned of the downed trees. The application identified 225 trees for removal, a number large enough to trigger delays as the town considered the potential impacts.

Citing the number of trees involved, the planning director exercised her option to pass the application to the town's Architectural and Site Review Board and commissioned a biological assessment, the staff report says.