[MassHistPres] "Demo delay" for trees?

[Ralph Slate]

Springfield has a "significant tree" ordinance, which can be viewed here:

http://www.springfield-ma.gov/park/index.php?id=significant

It gives the city forester the discretion to block the removal of significant trees (defined as seventy-five (75) years or older, or which is three (3) feet in diameter or more.) unless it is shown that "the continued present state of such tree endangers person, or, in his discretion, if such tree is diseased or damaged."



This ordinance is almost never enforced though, due to our city having just one forester due to budget cuts (and if his position wasn't ensconced in state law, I'm sure it would have been eliminated years ago).

Ralph Slate
Springfield, MA

On Mon, 7 Mar, 2016 at 11:22:44 AM, James Kossuth <jkossuth at gmail.com> wrote:
 

To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu





This may be beyond the scope of this list, but I wanted to give it a shot -- does anyone know of a town that has an ordinance prohibiting the removal of healthy, old, trees on private property without review and approval by appropriate city officials?  

E.g., a person buys a lot with a healthy, mature, shade tree, and wants to cut it down to put in a new house.  If we replaced "healthy, mature, shade tree" with "pre-1900 building", that request would come before the Historical Commission.  Does anyone know if any town has a similar review process for trees?  (Perhaps by referring such matters to the Conservation Commission or Tree Warden?)

Thanks,
James Kossuth
Medford
 
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