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Planning commission adopts small updates to city tree and shrub list
Summary
The commission approved amendments to the city’s approved tree and shrub list, removing some invasive species and adjusting size categories; the changes were recommended by the Tree Board and will move to council for final adoption.
The Morgantown Planning Commission approved amendments to Table 13.67.1101 (the city’s approved tree and shrub list), based on recommendations from the city Tree Board. The changes are modest updates intended to reflect current arboricultural knowledge and to remove species the board judged problematic in the local context.
Greg Dahl, chair of the Tree Board, presented the changes and told commissioners the board moved to remove a small number of species from the approved list and to add cultivars and species the board considers more appropriate for the city’s planting zones. Dahl said removal decisions included species the board deemed invasive or susceptible to dieback; for example, crepe myrtle was removed because the board observed occasional winter dieback that could create deadwood hazards in public plantings. Several shrubs that spread via bird-dispersed seed (for example, burning bush and barberry) were also removed due to invasive tendencies in local settings.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions about how the board decided size categories for trees; Dahl said the city arborist and board used canopy spread and typical growth patterns to reclassify certain species (for example, moving Trident maple from the “small” to “medium/large” list to reflect expected mature width).
A commissioner moved to amend the city table to reflect the Tree Board’s recommendations and thanked the board for its work. The motion passed on a voice vote.
The commission’s approval will be recorded and forwarded to city council for final adoption as an update to the city planning and zoning code table.
Outlook: The updated list will proceed through the city’s adoption process; staff and the Tree Board said the changes are small, technical updates intended to improve long-term tree health and reduce invasive planting.
