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Bexley Tree Commission adopts minor rules changes, advances street-tree review and invasive‑species outreach
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Summary
The commission approved edits to its rules clarifying waiver authority, committed to sharing invasive-species alternatives via city and Arboretum web links, and asked staff to return with updated street‑tree recommendations and nursery-availability options.
The Bexley Tree Commission voted to adopt modest edits to its rules and regulations, agreed on steps to publicize invasive‑species alternatives, and asked staff to return in May with updated street‑tree recommendations.
Chair (S1) summarized two attorney-recommended edits: clarify that the zoning officer, with consent of the chair or the chair’s designee, may waive deadlines in limited circumstances; and retain the commission’s revised order of hearing applicants first, then staff review. Commissioners approved the changes by voice vote.
On invasive-species outreach, members recommended linking to external, frequently updated resources (state invasive lists and recent publications) from the city and Arboretum websites rather than creating a static local list the commission would have to maintain. Commissioners also suggested library holdings and community distribution of recommended alternative plant lists.
Grant (S4) reviewed the city’s recommended primary and secondary street‑tree lists and told commissioners that some species (European/American beech, sassafras) are hard to source at the sizes the city typically plants; he will return with alternative suggestions and availability assessments. Commissioners tasked staff with preparing visuals/elevations or realistic '5-year' growth renderings for major future projects to aid review.
Next steps: staff will circulate the approved rules for posting on the commission web page, compile links to authoritative invasive‑species resources for the city and Arboretum sites, and return with street‑tree alternatives and planting-size recommendations next month.
