Brookline affirms MBTA plan to remove nine trees for C‑branch accessibility upgrades after heated hearing

The Brookline Select Board on Sept. 16 unanimously confirmed the Tree Planting Committee’s approval allowing the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to remove nine public shade trees as part of accessibility upgrades to two Green Line C‑branch stations, Englewood Avenue and Tappan Street.

The hearing focused on whether a 36‑inch‑diameter pin oak at Tappan Street can be saved. MBTA engineers and arborists said tests using LIDAR and a custom physical device showed a conflict between the new Type 10 vehicles’ undercarriage and the tree’s root flare. "The undercarriage on the new Type 10 trains is 6 inches wider than the Type 9s," MBTA presenter Matt Conover said, and added the device confirmed impacts near the root flare and asphalt that "would require a significant cutback to give the clearances to get by safely." (See transcript references SEG 1350–1360, SEG 1293–1301.)

Town urban-forestry manager Jack Schleifer, an ISA‑certified arborist, told the board cutting into the root flare "is structurally significant for the tree" and that excavation on multiple sides would likely compromise the tree’s stability and be lethal over time. The Tree Planting Committee’s chair, Liz Erdman, said the committee voted unanimously at its meeting to allow the removals but sought additional documentation about the pin oak; after receiving MBTA arborist information, the committee "concur[red] that there's a safety hazard" related to the tree.

Residents and advocates raised objections and asked for more detailed schematics and assumptions. Harry Friedman and D*** Benka both urged the Select Board to require full dynamic‑envelope schematics and documentation before permitting removal. Others, including the Brookline Green Space Alliance and residents concerned with Brookline’s Urban Forest Climate Resiliency plan, warned mature canopy cannot be quickly replaced and urged maximum mitigation.

Supporters of the MBTA project, including Jim Lee, chair of the Brookline Commission on Disability, and Brian Kane, chair of the Transportation Board (speaking for himself), emphasized long‑standing obligations to make the Green Line accessible. Jim Lee noted the project is "20 years in the making" and cited settlement history and the need to provide level boarding for people who use wheelchairs. Several Select Board members said they prioritized serving people and safety while urging the MBTA to minimize tree loss across the corridor.

MBTA officials said the project will raise platforms to approximately 8 inches at six stations, consolidate some stops (combining Brandon Hall and Fairbank, and eliminating Kent Street), and is expected to reduce travel times by 3–7 percent while improving wayfinding and lighting. They estimated roughly 70 trees could be impacted corridor‑wide by station designs (mostly small trees), while only a few trees face undercarriage conflicts tied specifically to Type 10 dimensions.

After deliberation the Select Board moved to "confirm the decision of the Tree Planting Committee to approve the MBTA's plan with respect to the removal of trees at Englewood and Tappan" and voted aye (John Van Scoyak, Paul Warren, David Perlman, Michael Rubenstein, Chair). The board and MBTA also discussed mitigation commitments: MBTA has proposed replanting (for example, 20 new trees at Englewood, 10 at Tappan) and a one‑year warranty/maintenance period before trees are turned over to the town.

What’s next: the MBTA will return to the Select Board on Sept. 30 for a formal grant‑of‑location hearing on the proposed amendments to the current grant of location for Beacon Street; the Select Board’s decision on the tree removals was a required step under Chapter 87, M.G.L..