Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Historic Preservation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge preservation of historic trees as council orders arborist, engineer and environmental reviews
Summary
Multiple speakers expressed concern that sidewalk construction in the historic district could damage or kill century-old street trees. Council said arborist, engineering and environmental reports will be completed before designs are finalized and any removals are considered.
During public comment at the May 21 Providence City Council meeting several residents and community members raised concern about proposed sidewalk work in the city's historic district and possible removal of mature street trees.
Resident testimony Valerie Burns, who said she has lived in Providence about 40 years, read a statement from the Providence Historical Society urging that the city not damage or remove street trees in the historic district. Burns said the trees are roughly 100 years old and asked that designs be changed so sidewalks do not require root-cutting that would effectively kill the trees. "The street trees and the sidewalk should not be damaged or removed within the historical district," she said, recounting the historical-commission position.
Council response City staff and council members said there is no desire to remove trees without careful consideration. Mayor Kathleen Alder said the council had instructed staff to obtain an arborist, an environmentalist and an engineer to evaluate the condition of the trees and the design alternatives; staff will return with reports and hold a public hearing before any project proceeds. A staff member said the engineer's initial design was "a worst-case" and that alternatives that preserve trees are being investigated.
Next steps Staff will present the arborist, environmental and engineering reports to the council prior to advancing construction documents. The council said it will determine design direction only after those reports and a public discussion; no tree removals were scheduled or authorized at the May 21 meeting.
