Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Aquatic Center Landscaping topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tree board seeks clarity, compensation after wrong tree removal at aquatic center project
Summary
Board members raised concerns after the unintended removal of a Siberian elm and a subsequent pine at the planned aquatic center; disagreement centered on whether the removed elm should be replaced with a large-caliper specimen, how replacement costs will be handled, and whether future plantings fit long-term landscape aims.
Tree board members pressed town staff for clarification about tree removals at the town's aquatic center site, including the inadvertent removal of a Siberian elm and later work affecting a pine. Board members said the elm was a poor species to save and opposed replacing it with a large 8-inch-caliper specimen without a clear landscape plan and infrastructure to support such a tree.
Carl told the board he has been in touch with Eric (the town's project contact) and that "they were going to replace the Siberian Elm" and that discussions had included the idea of a larger-caliper replacement. Carl cautioned the board to select the "right tree" for the site rather than focus solely on size, noting new site conditions after the elm and pine removals create an "open box" for rethinking the immediate landscaping.
Board members pressed staff on compensation and accountability for the inadvertent removal. A resident (Ross) urged recovery of appropriate value, saying the mistake warranted compensation; the board discussed whether the town should expect replacement planting of a larger tree at no cost to the town. Carl described negotiations as ongoing and said he would follow up with Eric and report back at the work session and the next board meeting.
Several board members criticized the decision to plant an 8-inch-caliper tree at the site, citing limited root volume in narrow planting strips, flood-prone conditions at the corner and the need to plan for a 40-year tree scape rather than an immediate visual fix. Town staff reported the board of trustees has approved funding that could function as a backstop for landscaping alternatives, but timing and final landscape plans remain unresolved.
The board requested that staff obtain clarifying documentation of the discussions with contractors and with the landscape architect, including any offers of replacement for the mistaken removals, and to provide an update at the upcoming staff work session.
