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Developer plans for 40-acre site east of Mount Vernon bridge prompt tree inventory, possible timber harvest
Summary
Commissioners discussed a newly proposed development on roughly 40 acres east of the river that includes about 33 acres of woods; the commission said developers must provide a tree inventory and present before the commission and that the city may consider harvesting timber on city-owned parcels before sale or redevelopment.
A developer has submitted preliminary plans to develop land east of the river near the Mount Vernon Avenue bridge, and Shade Tree Commission members said the parcel is nearly 40 acres with about 33 acres of woods that would be affected by the proposal. Commission members said the developer must perform a tree inventory and make an in-person presentation to the commission before clearing or permitting begins. The commission also said it plans a Zoom session to give the developer preliminary guidance on required submittals so the developer does not appear before the commission missing required materials. The commission discussed harvesting merchantable timber on the city's roughly 6-acre parcel east of the river before the land is sold, to offset city costs and possibly to reuse local lumber in future municipal building renovations such as trim or podiums. "If we're going to have to sell it, we should try to get some of the money out of it and maybe even use some of the timber when they remodel the building here for the Justice Center," a commission member said. Commission members noted that state of annexation and corporation-line questions remain and that the development drawings the commission received earlier the same day are preliminary. They also warned that replacement tree requirements in development approvals typically do not equal the area of mature woods that would be removed. City staff said they will check annexation status and confirm whether the parcels are in the city limits and will schedule a preliminary meeting to advise the developer of the submission requirements. Commissioners reiterated that the loss of 33 acres of woods would take many years to replace even if the developer meets tree-planting requirements. No formal action was taken at the meeting. Commissioners who attended said they wanted more information on annexation lines, the developer's tree inventory, and the timing of any formal planning or zoning submittals before the commission takes regulatory steps.
