Tauranga City Council will revisit their investigation into whether prosecution and a fine are likely to be issued to a 13th Avenue motelier who chopped down branches of a ‘notable tree'.

Last week 13th Avenue Redwood Motel manager Catherine Thompson was issued a police warrant to enter her Fraser Street property after it was found she had cut branches from a Camphor Laurel tree.

Margaret Buchanan, 79, and Catherine Thompson with the tree cuttings council are continuing to investigate.

Tauranga City Council say Catherine breached section 9 of the Resource Management Act and rule 6B of the Operative Tauranga City Plan by removing a branch from one of 399 ‘Notable Trees' in the city.

But following a meeting between council staff, councillor Murray Guy, and Catherine this week, council has agreed to revisit the incident.

Catherine says city arborists visited the motel and ascertain whether a breach of the RMA and Tauranga City Plan was reached, and if so whether a prosecution and a fine are still a possibility.

Last week Catherine told SunLive was not aware the tree was notable when she chopped off branches for fears it was endangering her family and business.

The branch was removed three weeks ago because it was banging against the house and had become tangled in the wires. The day after, on September 16, council officials arrived at the property.

The tree was made one of Tauranga City's 339 individually Notable Trees in 2001 – 10 years after Catherine's family purchased the motel.

Catherine says her family has not been treated respectfully by council in the past when presenting submissions to remove the tree and this is just another case of them flexing their muscles.

'They know I have taken full responsibility for my actions. The warrant is still hanging there and they have basically told us they have prosecuted in the past and brought up the guy prosecuted recently for $45,000 so that's just a little tweak,” says Catherine.

'They do not want to do it at this stage but they can if they want.”

Council have made their side extremely clear the cutting of the branch might be in breach of the law, but they also need address her side of the account, says Catherine.

'I personally believe every tree should be dealt with on a personal basis rather than a blanket approach.”

Murray, acting as a mediator in the process, believes the incident highlights a deteriorating relationship between council and property owners throughout the city.

'What this issue has identified is there are some real big gaps in our processes and a real big gap in our ability to manage our relationship with our community; that's where the buck ends,” says Murray.

'The property owners and the department manager weren't aware of the process open to residents in that situation; can council ring council, can they ring Arbor Care 24 hours a day? We understand there is a 24/7 Arbor Care type of response but the owners of protected trees haven't been made aware of that.

'We need to make sure for the owners they are provided with all the rules and options in the event of an emergency.”