GEARHART — A new ordinance could make it easier for property owners in Gearhart to landscape their beachfront properties.

Changes to the city’s beach overlay district will be more permissive in allowing people to cut Scotch broom and other noxious weeds and prune trees to maintain views.

“The council was very thorough at looking at all the different angles and taking into consideration all the last-minute correspondence in making a decision to endorse the staff recommendation,” City Administrator Chad Sweet said.

The beach overlay district was established to regulate activity in dunes and beach areas in order to protect the landscape. The northern boundary is Fairway Avenue in the Highlands and the southern boundary is the south end of South Ocean Avenue.

The code amendments, presented to the City Council at a public hearing Wednesday, set rules for trimming beach vegetation and provide guidelines for emergency and construction vehicles.

The limited amount of vegetation removal to be permitted “will not significantly affect the condition of the use of the dunes recreation area,” a staff report states.

Removal is not expected to affect endangered bird species.

In January 2017, residents filled the Gearhart Fire Station for a town hall meeting on an amendment permitting the removal of noxious weeds.

The workshop led to the formation of the Dune Vegetation Committee, comprised of both permanent and part-time residents.

The committee presented its findings to the City Council last summer. City councilors agreed to consider recommendations from the committee after finding that city rules, written in 1994, failed to provide clear guidance.

A decision to proceed with the amendments was endorsed by councilors last week.

The written ordinance will likely be presented in May, with a goal of passage by July, Sweet said.