Advisory boards press DEC follow-up after reports of tree clearing near mapped wetlands

During the roundtable, several participants reported recent large‑scale tree clearing and road building behind Majestic Woods that may abut or cross a state‑mapped wetland. One resident described bulldozing, skid‑steer work and removal of trees and expressed safety concerns about operators and erosion.

Members noted that mapped wetlands on official DEC maps are codified and can trigger rapid enforcement. The meeting advised residents to report suspected violations to DEC and to supply the mapped‑wetland identifier (participants discussed numbers such as "TW22" during the meeting) so regional staff can prioritize an inspection. A member said DEC has sometimes responded to mapped‑wetland complaints within 24 hours.

Separately, advisory members discussed the town’s proposed tree law and tree‑board makeup. The board debated whether the law should apply only to public trees (street and town trees) or also restrict private‑property actions, and recommended that the tree board include the highway superintendent, the town arborist and a traffic‑safety representative to help set right‑of‑way guidelines and replanting expectations.

Committee members said if clearing is occurring within a mapped wetland or its 100‑foot buffer, property owners and contractors risk enforcement action and should be reported to DEC for investigation. The advisory boards agreed to follow up and to coordinate information for DEC and county mapping staff.