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Residents and tree board call for clearer plan after large-scale boulevard removals
Summary
Residents told the Virginia City Committee of the Whole that blocks of boulevard trees have been removed without clear replanting plans; city staff and councilors said a multi-step replanting effort and greenhouse nursery stock exist but communication needs improvement.
Chris Palazzari, a longtime resident, told the Committee of the Whole on April 15 that he has watched “entire blocks of our boulevard trees” be removed in recent years and said he found no replanting plan in the city code. “I asked who oversaw this and was told Jim,” Palazzari said, adding that he had been told multiple times by staff that removal reflected homeowner consent.
The concern reached the council through public comment and members of the Park and Rec Commission. Marlise Bridal, who identified herself as a member of the Park and Rec Commission, said the commission “did propose a plan into the future, but that has not been approved by the city council,” and urged better public-facing communications so residents understand what is happening to boulevard trees.
Councilor Johnson and other councilors described an operational urgency: some trees were “hollow inside” and present public-safety hazards during storms. Johnson said crews and the Parks and Rec director meet regularly and that the city purchased hundreds of trees last year for planting. “If we take a tree down, we should be putting a couple up,” Johnson told Palazzari.
Councilors also noted timing constraints for removals linked to state natural-resources windows intended to protect wildlife; that narrow season makes removals appear clustered. Councilor Motley and others said volunteer fundraising could speed replanting; a representative from the Virginia Community Foundation told the Parks and Rec Commission recently that the foundation can help with fundraising and volunteer coordination.
What changed: Residents said they were often told an individual staff member directed removals and that replanting was uncertain. City officials said removal decisions follow inspections and safety concerns, that the tree board’s recommendations are being incorporated, and that greenhouse stock is available for planting this spring. The Park and Rec Commission and council asked staff to improve communications about where and when plantings will follow removals.
What’s next: Councilors asked staff to send documentation and a plan to concerned residents, and multiple councilors urged the public to share the new information once it is published so residents know replanting options.
Ending: The council did not vote on tree policy at the April 15 meeting; the record shows public comment, staff responses, and direction to improve outreach and pursue the tree-board plan for future plantings.
