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Awendaw planners defer proposed tree‑ordinance changes, request arborist review
Summary
The planning commission recommended deferring consideration of proposed tree‑code amendments (changing a 20‑trees‑per‑acre standard to a 160‑caliper‑inches metric) and asked the council to commission professional review and a holistic study before action.
The Awendaw Planning Commission voted to recommend deferral of proposed amendments to the town's tree‑protection ordinance to allow time for technical review by licensed arborists or landscape professionals.
The proposed revisions replace a 20‑trees‑per‑acre metric with a requirement expressed in caliper inches (a draft metric cited as 160 caliper inches per acre). Commissioners raised several concerns: how caliper inches apply to existing mature canopy trees vs. nursery stock, how the metric would be measured and enforced, and whether the standard should apply to single‑family residential lots and agricultural parcels. Several members said the change should be limited to subdivisions or nonresidential development unless technical guidance supports broader application.
Staff recommended that council consult a licensed professional to refine definitions and measurement procedures, and the commission voted to defer action and request an expert briefing and a holistic review of the ordinance before council consideration. The commission's recommendation asks council to postpone final action and to allow staff time to prepare professionally reviewed options.
