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Commission weighs Shade Tree Plan, considers ordinance or zoning tie-in
Summary
Charlotte Conservation Commission reviewed a request from the Tree Warden to promote a Shade Tree Plan and discussed whether it should connect to zoning rules or be adopted as an ordinance; members emphasized avoiding undue burdens on homeowners and flagged shoreland applicability for further review.
The Charlotte Conservation Commission on June 24 reviewed a request from the Tree Warden to promote a Shade Tree Plan and discussed whether the plan should be tied to zoning regulations or enacted as an ordinance. Members emphasized creating a practical standard that would not place “undue strain on homeowners,” and noted Calais’s example limiting regulation to trees 8 inches diameter at breast height (DBH) or greater as a possible model.
Commissioners agreed that an important question is whether shoreland protection provisions should apply to the Shade Tree Plan or whether the Tree Warden should assess shoreline trees on a site-by-site basis. The commission did not adopt a formal policy at the meeting; members asked staff and the Tree Warden to return with options clarifying (1) legal mechanisms (zoning versus ordinance), (2) thresholds for regulation, and (3) how shoreland rules would interact with any local tree standards. The handout and related materials are to be reviewed further (see timeline: SEG 004, SEG 008).
