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Somerville Planning Board adopts revised tree ordinance with notification-first enforcement
Summary
The Somerville Planning Board approved revisions to the borough tree ordinance after amending enforcement language so penalties apply only after initial notification; members emphasized inventory tracking, incentive-based outreach and noted a recent grant planted 20 trees.
The Somerville Planning Board voted June 10 to adopt revisions to the borough's tree ordinance, changing enforcement language so monetary penalties apply only after an initial notification process and giving the Environmental Commission a role in planting and administering street-tree tables.
The board's action followed extended discussion about how the ordinance handles inventory, removal and replacement. Staff said the borough secured a grant to create a baseline tree inventory and will track installations and removals annually to determine whether canopy levels are increasing. Board members agreed the ordinance should require tracking and provide the council flexibility on enforcement, rather than immediate fines.
Mayor Gallagher and other members pressed for language clarifying that fees collected for tree-related work would be used by the Environmental Commission only with borough-council approval. The board inserted amendments to make that review step explicit and to change the enforcement provision from an immediate ‘‘shall’’ to a conditional ‘‘may’’ after initial notification and an opportunity to remediate.
Environmental Commission representatives had told the board the draft could be deficient on removal-and-replacement mechanics if it only tracked trees without a clear replacement path; the board responded by retaining inventory and off-site replacement options and by directing staff to refine the notification and remediation steps.
Board members debated the size of the monetary penalty in the draft. Several members characterized the $100 fine as insufficient to force compliance but ultimately agreed the ordinance should emphasize education and self-reporting first, with fines only after a notification period and failure to respond.
The ordinance also references recent state action urging municipalities to address invasive species; staff noted the state is still finalizing an invasive-species list and the ordinance language will defer to the state's forthcoming list. The Environmental Commission will maintain street-tree tables and can plant street or shade trees at locations approved by borough council.
During the discussion board members highlighted a recent, grant-funded community effort that planted 20 trees across the borough. The planting was cited as evidence that incentives and outreach can increase canopy without a punitive-first approach.
The motion to approve the ordinance with the council-approval and notification amendments carried on a roll-call recorded voice vote with all members present voting yes. The board directed staff to finalize the ordinance text incorporating the edits for council consideration.
The ordinance's next procedural step is transmittal to the borough council for any additional policy-level decisions on enforcement and fee use; the board will revisit the master plan and related land-use edits at a subsequent meeting.
