Commission backs risk-based change to tree-protection standard, will consult engineering before BOC review

Chair (speaker 1) walked the commission through proposed ordinance language to preserve the 6-foot wire requirement for high-risk, long-duration projects while allowing a township-approved 4-foot orange construction safety fence for appropriate minor residential work. The proposal emphasizes a risk-based approach that would weigh project scope, anticipated impacts and duration when determining the protection method.

Commissioners and staff discussed why chain link became the de facto standard (enforcement and durability) and the cost implications for residents and applicants; one member described an example where chain link added about $10,000 to a stormwater project's cost. Staff recommended a pre-submission meeting with engineering (Nersini/White) so the commission can address practical concerns before presenting the ordinance change to the Board of Commissioners (BOC). The commission voted to take the proposal to engineering for review and to pursue next steps toward ordinances if engineering supports it.