Somerville mayor halts environmental commission’s proposed stormwater and tree ordinances, sends them to planning board

Mayor Brian Gallagher interrupted a planned presentation of two draft ordinances on Sept. 15, saying the proposed stormwater and shade-tree rules would unreasonably restrict private property rights and had not been properly vetted by professionals. He said the drafts—now posted for public review—must go to the planning board for detailed review by engineers and legal counsel before the council considers them.

The proposed tree ordinance would require any property owner seeking to remove a non-street tree of 4 inches or greater in diameter to submit a tree-removal application to the borough engineer and wait for approval from a borough engineer, licensed tree expert, or certified arborist in consultation with the Somerville Environmental Commission. It would also mandate replacement plantings from a specified species list and assign enforcement authority to police, the borough engineer, or DPW, with escalating fines for noncompliance. "Stay out of my backyard," Gallagher said, urging that the documents be reviewed by the planning board rather than adopted as drafted.

Environmental-commission members and volunteers urged the council not to discard the drafts. Jeff Lamour, an environmental commissioner, said the proposals aim to restore and preserve tree canopy and improve stormwater practice, and that the drafts include exclusions for hazardous or severely diseased trees. "We don't certainly intend to assert any responsibility or put ourselves at a pedestal above others," Lamour said, asking for collaboration among the planning board, environmental commission and borough staff.

Residents and experts who spoke during the public comment period emphasized flood risk and future rainfall increases as reasons to strengthen local rules. A public commenter who said he helped produce enhanced stormwater ordinances argued Somerville is "at ground zero for flooding" and urged the council to adopt forward-looking practices to reduce future damages. Jeff Kaiser, an environmental commissioner who helped draft the stormwater language, said the proposed ordinance is intended to bring Somerville into compliance with updated inland flood-protection rules.

Council members were divided in tone but united on professional review. Several members said they wanted stormwater and tree rules to move forward after technical vetting. Councilmember Andrew Ki and Councilmember Glenn Deny urged input from the borough’s stormwater engineer, borough engineer, legal counsel and a certified arborist. Theresa Bonner and others criticized the mayor’s public rebuke of volunteers and asked that the environmental commission be treated respectfully.

Outcome and next steps: Gallagher referred both drafts to the planning board for review and asked that the planning board and the borough’s professionals walk the council through recommended changes at a future public council meeting. No ordinance vote occurred Sept. 15; the next public opportunity will be at the planning-board review and subsequent council meetings where any formal ordinance introduction or amendments would be considered.