Ms Fraundorfer found out late on Friday and contacted Mayor Stuart Crosby directly when she could not reach any council staff over the weekend.
The scheduled felling was put on hold and the tree's future remains unknown, for now.
"The people who live up there think they have a right to ring up and say that tree is beyond the height restriction and want it gone," Ms Fraundorfer said.
The same situation happened in 2007 when Matua residents became divided over a line of trees bordering the park.
"We want the shade. Birds are coming back to Matua. We don't want to lose a tree."
Resident Linda McDougal worked tirelessly to gather signatures against the tree's removal on Sunday.
"I'm not an activist or anything but it would be so sad to see that tree go," she said.
"I've lived here for coming up to 27 years and I look at the tree every day.
"A lot of people enjoy them. I've got three pages of signatures from people."
Ms McDougal said the agreement the council made in 2007 should be binding.
Council communications adviser Marcel Currin said it was legally obliged to remove the tree due to a deed of conveyance on Fergusson Park.
"A conveyance is registered on the title for the Fergusson Park embankment.
"It imposes a height restriction on the pohutukawa tree if it exceeds the height restriction, which it does."
Mr Currin said it was still too early to determine when the tree would be removed, particularly as the council had now received a petition which was expected to be heard under democratic process.
Mr Currin confirmed the council had received a complaint from one property owner in relation to the tree.