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Council to press Dominion on tree clearing along W&OD trail; draft resolution under consideration
Summary
Councilors said they will seek more information from Dominion Energy after the utility began clearing vegetation under power‑line easements along the W&OD trail; staff said a draft resolution asking Dominion to spare ornamental trees and coordinate replanting is under consideration.
Falls Church City staff told council members Monday they are coordinating with Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority and other jurisdictions after Dominion Energy began clearing trees within its transmission easement along the Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail.
Staff said Dominion cited easement rights and North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) standards in initial communications and noted some parts of the corridor had not had maintenance in about 20 years. City staff asked Dominion to avoid wholesale clear‑cutting of low‑canopy ornamental trees — such as dogwoods and cherry trees residents planted — while the parties evaluate next steps.
Mayor Wyatt Shields (staff lead) said staff has asked Dominion to spare ornamental plantings where possible and to coordinate with NOVA Parks on replanting. Council members pressed staff for additional information about Dominion’s justification and about possible remedies beyond a resolution: several council members said they want the city to escalate the matter with Dominion to protect the trail’s character and mature trees.
Councilor Dave (last name not specified in transcript) urged staff to obtain Dominion’s specific legal and technical rationale, including whether recent changes in vegetation‑management standards or wildfire risk prompted the clearings. Another councilor noted Vienna experienced drastic clearing on a parallel corridor and is pursuing a resolution; staff said NOVA Parks is leading regional coordination and the city will consider a draft resolution at the next public meeting.
Staff said Dominion has not committed to full replanting at mature tree heights and has indicated initial replanting proposals may emphasize low‑growing species to meet electric‑safety criteria. Council members expressed concern that small replacement plantings would not restore canopy value and asked staff to pursue stronger commitments on replanting and mitigation.
Why it matters: the W&OD Trail is a heavily used regional recreational corridor; participants said the issue crosses multiple jurisdictions and that coordinated regional advocacy with NOVA Parks and neighboring localities is already underway.
Next steps: staff will request a detailed explanation from Dominion explaining the purpose and scope of the work, press for preservation of ornamental plantings where safe, seek stronger replanting commitments and present a draft resolution for council consideration.
