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Hinsdale tree board denies removal of mature bur oak, allows limited removals with conditions
Summary
At its April 21, 2026 special meeting the Hinsdale Tree Board denied an applicant’s request to remove a 26-inch bur oak needed for driveway aprons at 501 and 507 South County Line Road, agreed the village will remove one deteriorated hedge maple on Woodside at village expense, and authorized removal of one hedge maple on East Sixth with a $5,000 applicant fee.
The Hinsdale Tree Board on April 21, 2026 voted to deny an applicant’s request to remove a mature bur oak and a healthy Colorado spruce on Woodside Avenue while approving limited removals to accommodate new driveway aprons at 501 and 507 South County Line Road.
John Green, a civil engineer with Engineering Resource Associates, told the board the owner plans two single‑family homes and needs curb‑cut aprons on Woodside Avenue and East Sixth Street to provide safe access. "Removing the driveways off of County Line Road is a no‑brainer," Green said, describing steep slopes, sight‑line issues and heavier traffic on South County Line Road that, he argued, makes driveways off the smaller cross streets safer for new residents.
The board weighed those safety and grading arguments against its charter to preserve mature street trees. A board member identified in the transcript as Scott said the 26‑inch bur oak is "a non‑starter as far as removal is concerned," calling the oak a mature specimen the village seeks to retain. The board found the bur oak and an adjacent healthy Colorado spruce did not meet the threshold for removal.
Board members did agree, however, that the village would remove one deteriorated hedge maple on Woodside (tree number four in the staff report) and another nearby tree already slated for village removal; those two village removals, the board concluded, would provide sufficient spacing to allow a driveway on Woodside without further applicant removals. For East Sixth Street the board granted relief to remove one of two 20‑inch hedge maples (tree six was identified as the preferred candidate) but limited relief to a single tree and required the applicant to pay a $5,000 removal fee the village said is the standard applicant cost.
Board members emphasized procedural steps that remain. Green said architectural plans for the two homes are at a preliminary phase and that the owner intends to work with village staff on driveway centering and spacing; the board directed the applicant to coordinate final driveway location with the village forester and the zoning department. When asked about the bur oak’s age, Green estimated the 26‑inch specimen is roughly 60–80 years old.
The motion describing the remedy — denial of removals on Woodside for the bur oak and Colorado spruce, village removal of the deteriorated hedge maple and another pre‑designated tree at village expense, and approval for removal of one hedge maple on East Sixth with a $5,000 applicant fee — was made and seconded; the transcript records that the chair called for a vote and the motion carried. The transcript does not include a roll‑call tally.
The board closed the special meeting after thanking Green for his presentation. The applicant must pay the fee for the East Sixth removal and coordinate final driveway plans with village staff before the village will authorize any permit work.
