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Resident presents petition asking Peosta to seek alternatives to removing willow trees used as beaver buffer
Summary
Resident Mary Pater presented a 36-signature petition urging the city to consider non-destructive options and consult the DNR before removing willow trees that buffer Thunder Valley Road from homes; staff said the DNR has requested dam removal where beaver activity threatens the highway and the city will review alternatives.
Peosta — A resident urged the council to consider alternatives to removing willow trees that serve as a natural buffer between Thunder Valley Road and nearby homes, presenting a petition with 36 signatures.
At the lectern, Mary Pater of 255 Solomia Court said neighbors are concerned that beaver activity is being addressed by cutting down the buffer trees. She asked the council to contact the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and explore less-destructive measures such as tree-protection fencing, repellents applied to trunks, relocating wildlife, or devices that regulate water levels instead of eliminating dams or trees. “We would like to suggest … contacting the DNR,” she said and offered to provide contact names and phone numbers from the county.
Public works staff responded that the DNR has been involved previously, noting state officials have asked the city to remove beaver dams when they create a hazard by raising water toward a state highway. Staff said the city has attempted trapping and relocation in the past and that alternatives would be considered; no immediate action was taken at the meeting.
The council thanked Pater for presenting the petition. The item remains a citizen concern that staff said they will review with state partners and contractors, balancing roadway safety and neighborhood buffer functions.
