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Mayor pledges to save trees after contractor moved to remove them on Greenlee Avenue project
Summary
Mayor Jonathan Stupchoir said he stopped a contractor from removing trees on Greenlee Avenue and committed the village to preserve a grass verge and add size-appropriate trees, while acknowledging some trenching for new curbs could still damage roots and will be handled case-by-case.
Mayor Jonathan Stupchoir told the Committee of the Whole on July 10 that he intervened to stop a contractor from removing trees as part of the Greenlee Avenue improvement project and pledged the village will try to preserve a tree line where feasible.
"After being made aware of the trees being removed by the contractor, I was able to stop this, and we're committing to we are now committing to maintaining the grass verge in a tree line where we can," Stupchoir said. He said the project will include milling, paving, new curbs and driveway aprons, and warned that curb construction requires trenching "18 to 24 inch trench, at least 12 inches deep towards the verge," which "could be some damage to the trees," but that officials will decide tree treatment "on a case by case basis."
The mayor also said the village will add new, size-appropriate plantings on Greenlee and work to identify species that fit the project area, and he thanked residents for voicing concerns. Councilmember Morton, who organized community engagement on the issue, was thanked by the mayor for facilitating that discussion.
Stupchoir framed the change as a response to resident input and said the goal is to balance necessary street improvements with preserving mature plantings along the right-of-way. The mayor provided a separate update on other public-works activity, including roof-drain work on Langley Avenue and planned storm-sewer installation tied to the paving schedule.
The committee did not take a formal vote on the Greenlee design at the July 10 meeting; officials said field decisions about individual trees will be made as construction advances.
