Springfield committee vets Woodlands Ordinance draft; agrees edits, next steps

Councilor Zaida Govan, the only councilor in attendance at the Environmental and Sustainability Committee meeting, led a detailed review of a draft Woodlands Ordinance with city attorneys, Forestry Division staff and community groups, focusing on definitions, size thresholds, a proposed look-back period and commission membership.

The review centered on language the city attorney said could create ambiguity and on where the ordinance should reference the city’s climate work. Committee members and community representatives said they want the ordinance to protect remaining wooded lots while avoiding unintended legal exposure or overlap with other city processes.

Ken Shea, city council attorney, recommended removing a sentence in the draft findings that he said is unnecessary because “anytime you're drafting an ordinance or any law, the fewer words and statements you can make, the easier it is to interpret and and enforce it.” Shea also advised deleting a multi-sentence definition of “global climate mitigation,” calling it a set of “weasel words” that could invite litigation or expand the ordinance beyond its intent.

Jay, a SCANS representative, and others said…