Keene committee recommends homeowner may remove street tree at his expense with replacement required

The Keene Municipal Services, Facilities & Infrastructure Committee voted to recommend that the City Council permit Howard Mudge to remove a shade tree located in the public right-of-way in front of 9 Evergreen Avenue, provided Mudge pays the removal costs and the city and petitioner agree on a replacement street tree to be planted and maintained by the city.

Public Works Director Don Lucey told the committee the tree is on city property in the right-of-way and is healthy, not diseased or an imminent hazard, and that city code requires council permission to destroy or remove shade or ornamental trees within city limits. Lucey said staff’s “recommendation is to grant the request” but noted that because the tree is healthy, the petitioner must obtain council authorization and would be responsible for removal costs.

The committee discussed safety and utility concerns; Lucey said Eversource would remove or trim trees only if its arborist determines a risk to wires, and that was not the case here. Lucey described a possible approval condition: require the petitioner to plant a replacement tree that the city would maintain going forward.

Committee members and a member of the public asked about stump removal. Lucey said stump work follows standard city practice: cut flush with the ground (typically using a grinder) but not necessarily grind below grade; one committee member said they would prefer stump removal below grade.

A committee member moved to recommend granting the request at the petitioner’s expense and conditioned on planting a replacement tree to be maintained by the city; the motion was seconded. The chair called for the vote; the motion passed in committee (a vote count was reported at the meeting, discussed further in committee comments).