Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Urban Forestry Tree Removal topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tree board permits removal of one pine at 106 Terracote Lane, asks arborist review for two others
Summary
The Summerville Tree Protection Board approved removal of tree No. 3 at 106 Terracote Lane after a resident reported recurring branch failures; the board asked the homeowner to commission a certified arborist to inspect the remaining two pines and said the homeowner may return without an additional fee if the arborist finds serious issues.
The Summerville Tree Protection Board on an unspecific May meeting approved removal of tree number 3 at 106 Terracote Lane and directed the homeowner to have a certified arborist inspect the two remaining pines before any further removals are considered.
The homeowner told the board the three backyard pines are large and that one leans toward a neighbor’s house. “The size of the limbs that come down … anytime we get the slightest storm … the branch that came down is larger than me,” the resident said, adding the tree has damaged a fence multiple times and nearly could have harmed the family dog.
Board members who inspected the property said all three pines appeared relatively healthy but identified tree No. 3 as the one that had recently shed a large limb. An on-site mallet test found no significant hollows and only a “minimal concern” at the base of one tree, according to Justin, the town arborist who performed field testing. The board said that, while the fallen limb was live and had needles and cones, the pattern of failures suggested the need to evaluate roots or internal decay more closely.
Chairman (unnamed) moved to allow removal of tree No. 3 and to require that the homeowner hire a certified arborist to inspect trees 1 and 2; the motion also stated the homeowner could return to the board without an additional application fee if the arborist found substantial problems. A board member seconded the motion and the board voted in favor.
Members advised the homeowner to use established arborist lookup tools and said the town maintains a list of licensed arborists but cannot recommend specific vendors. Justin noted some treatments and fertilization or tree growth regulators might improve root health if the arborist recommends them.
The homeowner said they had previously removed diseased sweet gums from the yard and had planted two new trees; board members cautioned that removing many pines could stress the property’s remaining oak, and asked the homeowner to monitor the yard over the coming years.
The board’s approval applies only to tree No. 3. No permit or removal date was specified in the transcript; the owner must follow the town’s permit process and supply any arborist report when reapplying to remove additional trees.
