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Covington resident raises alarm over tree clearing, buffer changes at Lake Point development
Summary
A Covington resident told council that recent clearing tied to the Lake Point Urban Development removed an extensive tree barrier overnight, reduced an intended buffer, and left residents with limited information about replanting and impacts on wildlife and stormwater areas.
A Covington resident who also serves on the Human Services Commission told City Council on May 27 that developers working on the Lake Point Urban Development removed a large number of mature trees along Southeast 250th Street and that residents received inadequate notice and limited information about replanting and buffer changes.
Kaylee Stevens, identified at separate points in the meeting as a commissioner with the Human Services Commission and a Covington resident, said she returned from work around 5 p.m. to find what she estimated as 80 to 100 trees—"60 feet to a 100 feet tall"—cleared in about eight hours. "The information that was given to the residents... was very minimal," Stevens said during public comment.
Stevens told council she understood earlier materials indicated a 100-foot buffer between existing homes and the new development but said that buffer was changed to 50 feet, then to 75 feet in different materials and that up-to-date diagrams were not available online. She also raised concerns about habitat displacement and noise: "There's just no acoustic barrier for any of the construction going on," she said.
Stevens said she and others have found spray-paint bottles and other debris in an area marked with a stormwater sign and described the presence of items the Navy would consider hazardous. She also reported that contractors struck a gas main during work within two days of clearing. "There's just a lot of lack of communication or lack of ability to get the information for the residents," she said.
Council responded by asking staff to look into the matter. Mayor Pro Tem Smith asked the city to check whether the clearing matched what residents had been told and whether the sewer contractor or the development team was responsible for notifications. Council staff offered to connect Stevens with the community development team to provide photos and further details.
Action: No formal action was taken during the meeting; council directed staff to follow up with staff and the developer and suggested Stevens provide photos to the community development team.
