The Plain City Tree Commission urged the village and the Ohio Department of Transportation to preserve a large spruce at Bicentennial Park and incorporate it into the SR‑161/Chillicothe Street intersection improvement design.

“We recommend the village extend every effort possible to preserve, protect and incorporate the existing spruce tree planted at Bicentennial Park into the intersection improvement plan designs,” the commission chair read in a formal statement presented to the council. The statement was submitted through the project portal, the chair said.

Commission member Kim Nicholas Savage, who identified his background in entomology and nursery work, told the council he did not believe the tree is dying and urged more tree planting and preservation elsewhere in the village. He also questioned a proposed spray‑pad near a busy street, saying it did not make sense from a safety perspective.

Village staff and the administrator told council members ODOT and the project engineer are collecting public feedback and will provide a response after the comment period closes on Dec. 10. The administration asked residents to submit comments through the project portal so they are considered in the next plan iteration.

The council did not take formal action on the commission’s statement at this meeting; staff confirmed the statement will be filed as part of the official project record and shared with the engineer and ODOT.