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Princeton council approves updated tree‑removal permit ordinance amid calls for tougher protections
Summary
The council adopted Ordinance 25‑19 to update tree‑removal permit rules after multi‑year work by the Shade Tree Commission. Janet Stern, an STC member, urged adding removed provisions to prevent clear‑cutting and strengthen enforcement; the ordinance passed on roll call.
The Princeton mayor and council adopted Ordinance 25‑19, updating tree removal permit requirements and amending relevant code chapters.
Councilmember Brian opened discussion by praising the Shade Tree Commission's multi‑year work on the ordinance. "They've been working on this ordinance for somewhere between 3 and 4 years," he said, noting the commission's deep engagement.
Janet Stern, who identified herself as a member of the Shade Tree Commission but spoke as a resident, told the council the commission's original draft included stricter provisions that were removed from the version before the council. Stern urged restoring measures such as stricter neighbor‑notice requirements, clearer enforcement officer authority to deny permits under nine criteria, and a prohibition on clear‑cutting. "I plead with you to seek bold but urgent solutions town wide," Stern said, arguing new trees do not compensate for loss of mature canopy and warning about the survival rate of recently planted trees in predicted droughts.
After the public hearing closed, the council recorded a roll‑call vote with the members present voting in favor. The ordinance will amend municipal code chapters to update permit requirements and is intended to bring Princeton into compliance with state expectations while strengthening local protections, according to advocates at the meeting.
The transcript shows discussion about additional stricter provisions the Shade Tree Commission recommended but that were removed from the draft ordinance; council members said they would consider further changes in the future. The ordinance passed at this meeting by roll call; the council did not adopt additional amendments on the floor.
The council did not provide an immediate timeline at the meeting for any further changes requested by Stern; follow‑up will depend on council direction and potential future agenda items.
