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Leesburg-backed bill would require mapping of trees' critical root zones during development
Summary
Delegate Martinez and the town of Leesburg urged legislation to require identification of trees' critical root zones in site plans so development preserves mature trees; builders warned about cost and implementation details.
Delegate Martinez, patron of House Bill 2238, told the workgroup the measure responds to a local request from the town of Leesburg to protect mature trees during development by requiring critical root zone (CRZ) identification in the development process. "Mature trees provide immediate benefits, resilient to drought, strong root systems, decades of shade and stormwater management capacity, and new planting simply can't replace [them] for many years," Martinez said.
Melissa Westbrook, urban forester for the town of Leesburg, said the bill would empower localities to request developers map or otherwise document critical root…
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