Staff outlines options for a tree‑canopy protection program; committee asks for more analysis
City planning staff presented options to protect private‑property tree canopy—ranging from caliper/species protections to acreage‑based permitting triggers—and the committee asked staff to develop proposals and further outreach; the item was filed for additional work.
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Assistant Chief Development Officer Michelle Smith told the committee Worcester currently lacks enforceable protections for tree loss on private property and described several approaches other cities use: protections based on tree caliper or species, lot‑perimeter buffers, clear‑cutting thresholds that trigger permits, and mitigation/replanting requirements tied to development review.
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