An item on page 10 of the upcoming RTM agenda here is a vote to update the Town's Tree Ordinance. The intention is to prevent clearcutting of trees on private property and to prevent the unintended loss of trees through negligence during construction.
New rules for Private property owners. The update revises the existing Tree ordinance from governing trees on public properties and expands it to trees on private property as well. It also expands the definition of tree to include a "grove" of smaller diameter trees. It limits the number of healthy trees (you can cut dying trees) that a homeowner can cut to one per acre per year. The language (confusing) seems to require tree commission approval for any kind of tree removal (healthy or dying) on private property. A new 9 member commission will be established to enforce these rules including collect a $25 per permit fee and a $500 fee (per tree, per day) for each offense.
Where are the rules for utilities, highways and rails. To date, neither the existing tree ordinance, nor this new one, has prevented the massive clearcutting of trees that took place all along Metro North/I-95. Nor has the existing ordinance stopped the constant cutting of trees by our utilities to enable them to keep their poles and wires above ground. Before we ask homeowners to give up property rights, shouldn't we first require (and enforce) utilities, highways and rails to protect our tree canopy.