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Tree board reviews AMB Bank landscape plan, flags overplanting and species and irrigation concerns
Summary
Tree board members reviewed the AMB Bank site landscape plan and raised concerns about apparent overplanting, heavy reliance on maples (including Norway maples), use of thorny shrubs in the right-of-way, narrow planting strips, and drip irrigation; staff recommended species diversity and larger canopy trees where feasible.
The Tree Board examined the formal landscape submittal for the AMB Bank site and provided detailed feedback to planning staff. Carl and board members noted changes since the site's preliminary review and focused on species selection, planting quantities and irrigation approach.
Carl recommended greater species diversity and fewer of any single species, advising "no more than 4 of 1 species" in several locations; he also recommended avoiding Norway maple because of aggressive roots. Board members described the site as potentially "over planted" for the area and questioned irrigation demands, noting "the amount of irrigation and stuff that's going to be required for this is going to be monumental." One board member suggested swapping certain species in low-lying spots for swamp white oak where water retention could produce seasonal pockets of standing water.
The board asked staff to press the applicant to replace thorny shrubs (crimson pygmy barberry) in pedestrian rights-of-way, to consider larger canopy species to shade sidewalks and parking, and to indicate a north arrow on the plan (staff noted that was an omission).
On irrigation, members recommended bubblers rather than buried drip in rock mulch to make performance visible and reduce clogging; Carl noted bubblers would make walk-by checks easier and reduce failures. The board also discussed town code drivers that affect tree counts for commercial development and signaled upcoming landscape-code review to align local rules with state trends.
Carl will consolidate the board's comments for planning staff and for the applicant to revise plant lists, remove Norway maples where appropriate and consider larger-canopy species in key locations.
