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Resident urges developers and council to preserve trees after recent clearing near Maslin Road
Summary
Sandy Item, a resident, asked the council to encourage developers to preserve existing trees after recent clearing at Massillon Road and 619, citing habitat, air quality and community benefits; councilors explained developers normally bring plans to planning and that code requires revegetation and landscape offsets.
A resident urged the Greene City Council on April 8 to press developers to preserve trees after recent clearing along Maslin Road.
"I'm Sandy Item, and I live south of here ... I walk at Central Park on a regular basis," the speaker said, identifying herself and telling council she shops and travels through Green frequently. Item showed photos and described the cleared area at the corner of Massillon Road and 619 as "just dirt," arguing that trees provide habitat, help mental health, and combat erosion and pollution. She asked the city to encourage developers to build among existing trees where possible.
Council responded by explaining the city's planning process. The presiding Chair and Finance Committee Chair Neugebauer said developers typically bring plans to the planning department and that the city enforces landscape and design-review requirements; the city code requires trees along boundaries and in parking lots and includes revegetation and offset requirements. Neugebauer noted it was unusual for grading and clearing to occur before a formal project had come through planning.
Council members and staff directed the public to the planning department's meeting schedules and the city's website for agendas and design-review board times. No developer attended the meeting and no enforcement action or pending application was announced.
