The Summerville Tree Protection Board voted to approve an application allowing contractor crews to remove trees at Pine Trace, a county-owned park site, so grading can raise the finished grade for a playground area and to match an adjacent kayak area.

The decision came at the board’s first meeting of 2025, when members considered contractor plans and a landscape architect’s tree survey. Chair, Tree Protection Board, framed the item as the meeting’s only active business and opened discussion with county and contractor representatives present. Christian, a representative of Johnson Locks Construction, told the board the site grade "is coming up a couple feet" and that because of that infill "I don't think that they'd be able to live," referring to the trees now slated for removal.

Nut graf: The grading raises the site elevation enough that most of the existing trees—largely loblolly pine, the board said—would be buried by infill and not survive; the approved application allows removals tied to construction of park amenities, and contractors and board members discussed a replacement planting plan that the county and landscape architect will finalize.

Board members and the contractor described the technical reason for removal: the playing surface and pathway to the kayak area require several feet of fill. Christian said that to match the kayak area the contractor must raise the grade "a couple feet," and that will bury the existing root zones. A board member noted the original landscape architect performed an “exhaustive tree survey” with photos of trees proposed for removal.

Contractors and board members discussed replacement plantings. A board member said the plan is to plant "2 or 3 Shumard oaks" once grading is complete. Several members urged adding more canopy trees either in the immediate area or elsewhere in the park; the board asked that staff copy relevant town and county contacts on follow-up emails so planting locations and species can be confirmed. Christian said he will coordinate with the landscape architect and that the architect had previously completed the tree survey and photos.

The board recorded a motion "to approve the removal of the trees as requested in the application." A member moved and another seconded; when the chair called for a voice vote, members responded "aye" and the motion passed. No roll-call vote tally was recorded in the transcript and no opposing votes were announced.

The meeting also introduced a newly appointed board member, Mr. Riggins, who the chair welcomed; a county representative named Austin was noted as unable to attend. Before adjourning, members asked about state-required training for boards that will include a refresher on Robert's Rules of Order; staff described the session as likely a half-day, state-level briefing for all boards.

Ending: Board staff and contractors will follow up by email with the town contact Justin and with Dorchester County staff who manage Pine Trace to finalize the planting plan and locations for additional canopy trees. The permit to remove the trees may proceed now that the board approved the application.