Committee reviews proposed amendments to Somerville—s tree preservation ordinance; keeps item in committee

City urban forestry staff and the city solicitor presented proposed amendments to Somerville—s Tree Preservation Ordinance at the Committee on Legislative Matters meeting on April 1, and the committee left the item in committee for additional refinement.

Vanessa Bukele, senior urban forestry and landscape planner in the Public Space and Urban Forestry Department, summarized the amendments developed with the Urban Forestry Committee and city departments. Bukele said the amendments are intended “to better protect the trees in the city” and listed major changes: new provisions protecting public shade trees and city trees from damage during outdoor construction; a new permit process for pruning public shade trees; protection requirements for private significant trees during construction; a reduction of the owner‑occupant waiver from a 100 percent replanting/payment…