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Select Board approves removal of several public trees after two hearings; replacements planned
Summary
After two public hearings, the Select Board authorized tree removals at 16 King Street (two trees) and approved an inventory removal for the Village at Brick Kiln (about 15 trees in Bridal/Brick Kiln Road area) tied to a developer‑required sidewalk. The Parks Department and Eversource will coordinate removals and replacements.
The Select Board approved two separate public hearings Aug. 26 to remove town‑owned trees where the town tree warden and residents raised safety and project‑related concerns.
At 16 King Street, Jeremiah Pearson, the town tree warden and park superintendent, described a Norway maple with a large cavity and a littleleaf linden with no central stem and excessive lean; Eversource agreed to remove the trees and Parks will replace them with appropriate 20‑foot‑maximum alternatives. Neighbor Ben McCorkle asked that removals be tree‑health driven and not simply to accommodate homeowner requests; Pearson and the board confirmed the action would include replacement plantings and not be used to create parking.
Separately, the board considered a developer‑driven removal of about 15 trees along Bridal/Brick Kiln Road that are in the path of a condition of a recorded zoning special permit requiring a sidewalk. Pearson said mitigation plantings had already been added elsewhere by the developer but that the specific trees are in the sidewalk alignment; the board noted limited authority to alter recorded permit conditions. The board voted to approve the inventory removal for the Village at Brick Kiln, LLC and authorized Parks/DPW coordination with the developer on mitigation where feasible.
Board members raised climate and habitat concerns about replacing large, mature trees with smaller stock and asked staff to explore policies that consider carbon and habitat impacts in permitting decisions going forward. Motions to close hearings and approve the removals were made and passed by voice vote.
