Important Update - The Chippewa Tree Vote Is This Monday June 8th

Dear Friends of the Chippewa Tree,

You signed our petition. You said the Chippewa Tree matters. This Monday, June 8th, is the moment to prove it.

THE GOOD NEWS: "Reconsideration of Chippewa Trail Sidewalk Alignment" is officially on the posted agenda for Monday's Maitland City Council meeting. The door is open.
THE WARNING: Being on the agenda does not mean the tree is saved. Not even close.

The city's own flyer delivered to Chippewa residents this week says it plainly: "The City Council now may consider new requests on June 8 to revisit the vote. If approved, the sidewalk discussion will reopen for another City Council decision. The City Council also may choose not to reconsider the vote, which would uphold the May 11 sidewalk decision."

Read that last sentence again. The Council can put this on their agenda, show up Monday night, and vote to do nothing effectively killing any further discussion and locking in the decision that puts a sidewalk through the Chippewa Tree's root system. This is not a formality. This is not a victory lap. Monday night is a vote on whether we even get to have the fight.  This is exactly why every single one of you needs to be in that room.

Maitland City Council Meeting Monday, June 8, 2026 — 6:30 PM
Maitland City Hall 1776 Independence Lane, Maitland, FL 32751
IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL: Please arrive at 6:00 PM to sign up as a public speaker. You will have 3 minutes. Every word counts.

City Council members respond to constituent presence in a way they simply do not respond to emails or petition signatures. When they look out from that dais and see a room packed with neighbors, we send a message that cannot be ignored. An empty room on a night like this makes it very easy for a council member to vote no and move on.

We are not asking the council to abandon the sidewalk. We are asking them to move it. That is a reasonable ask. But reasonable asks require people in the room to make the ask.  You don't have to speak if you don't want to. Simply being there matters enormously. But if you are willing to speak even for 60 seconds, even just to say your name, address and that you want this reconsidered please arrive at 6:00 PM to get on the speaker list. The more voices they hear before that vote, the harder it becomes to dismiss us.

With gratitude,

Jeff Fuller
2044 Chippewa Trail

P.S. Please forward this email to anyone in the Maitland area who cares about this tree, even if they haven't signed the petition. Monday night is open to the public and every person in that room matters.