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Peabody commission okays emergency removal of 12 dead ash trees behind 151 Rear Lowell St.
Summary
The Peabody Conservation Commission unanimously approved an emergency certificate to allow the city to remove 12 ash trees that city tree warden Brian Grant said are dead from emerald ash borer and pose a safety risk to a nearby house. The contractor must leave stumps to stabilize the embankment, preserve a stone wall and remove all debris.
The Peabody Conservation Commission voted unanimously on Dec. 10 to issue an emergency certificate allowing the city to remove 12 dead ash trees from city land behind 151 Rear Lowell Street.
Brian Grant, the city’s tree warden, told the commission he has documented boring holes and woodpecker activity in the trunks and that the trees have been dead for months. "We need to get these down, hopefully sometime in January," Grant said, adding crews will use a crane to lift cut material safely over the adjacent house.
Commissioners approved the emergency certificate with conditions: leave stumps in place on the embankment to preserve slope stability, do not disturb an existing stone wall and remove and properly dispose of all cut material offsite. The motion passed on an 8‑0 roll call.
Commissioners asked that the contractor photograph the stone wall before work begins and repair any accidental disturbance. Lucia, a city staff member leading permit coordination, confirmed the emergency certificate will be drafted once a start date is provided; Grant said he will notify staff when the date is set.
Why it matters: ash trees killed by emerald ash borer can fail unexpectedly and pose hazards to houses and private property. The commission’s conditions are intended to balance public safety and protection of the embankment and nearby natural features.
What happens next: when the applicant provides a confirmed work date, staff will finalize the emergency certificate; the tree‑removal contractor will have 30 days from the start date to complete the work under the terms approved by the commission.
