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Committee hears reports of park tree dieback and discusses who's responsible for street trees
Summary
Staff reported more than 50% dieback on a large Town Park tree and said crews are doing daily supplemental watering; members also sought clarification on whether the town can compel homeowners to replace dead street trees, and staff said the code assigns responsibility to residents though enforcement and replacement policy remain subject to board consideration.
Members heard a staff report that a large tree in Town Park shows significant dieback and that crews are expanding drip lines and applying daily supplemental watering to stressed trees.
Staff (Speaker 6) said trimming or getting a removal/rehab quote are options, and committee members discussed whether nearby construction or irrigation interruptions caused the decline. "A lot of these were there is a slight reduction in...to be honest, it's like 800 to down to 600 trees" was cited in a separate Arboretum context, but on park trees staff emphasized immediate watering and triage for the high-profile specimen.
Separately, committee members asked whether the town can compel private homeowners to replace street-strip trees. Staff (Speaker 5) said the town has explored the issue with legal counsel and that the code currently places responsibility on the property owner; compelling replacement of a living organism is legally challenging, and there has been no recent action to force replacement. The committee noted the town has a cost-share program and discussed outreach and education programs to encourage tree replacement and maintenance.
Why it matters: Park trees are visible community assets and street-tree gaps can erode canopy over decades; clarifying responsibility and supporting replacement programs shapes long-term urban canopy management.
Next steps: Staff will continue supplemental watering, the committee suggested educational outreach and cost-share partnerships, and members encouraged staff to include replacement and maintenance guidance in future recommendations to the board.
