We oppose the proposal to increase the regulatory burden on Los Altos Hills homeowners who want to remove a tree from their property. The Town does not have a problem with excessive tree removal; there are many more trees now than there were when the Town was founded. The Town does have a problem with fire risk.  Insurance policies are being cancelled, evacuation warnings extend down to Moody Road, and we have countless locations with fire ladders leading into the canopies of over-crowded trees. The Fire District’s brush chipping program is good but not enough. The Town needs to make it easier for homeowners to thin their trees, not discourage them by adding bureaucratic delay, fees, fines, arborist requirements, etc. The Town needs to drop this proposal and focus its energies on eliminating fire hazards.