Safety Harbor commissioners have given an initial thumbs up to a moratorium that would prevent trees from being cut down while the city works on a tougher tree ordinance.

The proposed ban comes after more than a dozen large trees were removed from private property at the Safety Harbor Resort and Spa to make way for a parking lot.

The city's current tree ordinance only protects trees of a certain size.

Specifics of the moratorium are still being discussed but city officials said it would not affect tree removal applications that have already been approved and it would not prevent the removal of trees that are dead or diseased.

This was just the first reading. Another vote will take place on Nov. 3.