Committee begins review of Shade Tree Commission role in development and plantings

Committee members spent a sizable portion of the Feb. 20 meeting discussing the Shade Tree Commission’s responsibilities and how those responsibilities intersect with land-development review and code enforcement.

Chair Jim Speeder and staff described two broad topics for evaluation: (1) the Shade Tree Commission’s role in land-development approvals and zoning hearing board references, particularly now that a borough landscape architect is on staff; and (2) the commission’s actual authority over tree plantings and removals in the right-of-way. Staff noted the commission has planted hundreds of trees in the last nine to 10 years under a largely voluntary program but raised the possibility of giving the commission authority to initiate plantings in some public verges on an opt-out basis.

Several members expressed mixed feelings about involuntary plantings in the right-of-way because property owners might later face sidewalk or root intrusion issues. The committee noted the borough already requires a permit and appraisal to remove right-of-way trees and that current design of the permit covers the right-of-way.

Staff proposed an initial step of ordinance review and creating a clear administrative checklist for subdivision and land-development triggers, responsibilities, and timing. The committee agreed that some questions may be resolved by simply reviewing the existing ordinance; more structural procedural work — including a plain-language checklist for administrative routing and review — will be assigned to the new assistant manager when one is onboarded. Staff estimated that the procedural checklist work will likely be feasible after the assistant manager starts, probably in April or May.

No ordinance changes were adopted at the meeting; members directed staff to prepare questions for the Shade Tree Commission and to review the existing ordinance and develop a proposed procedural checklist before further action.