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Builder and architect say moving driveway would kill trees; applicants defend driveway placement
Summary
The project team and a longtime local builder told the commission that moving or replacing the driveway would require deep excavation that would damage root systems and likely kill nearby trees; the commission weighed these claims against neighbors' requests to preserve trees.
Builder Jeff Johnston and the project team told the commission that the existing steep asphalt driveway is failing and that replacing it with concrete would require excavating 20–24 inches of substrate, which would destroy root systems for nearby trees. Johnston said he has built extensively on the island and that the current driveway location minimizes tree loss; he urged the commission to allow the driveway to remain in its present position.
The applicant and architect echoed that site constraints (steep topography, turning radius, front‑yard setbacks) limited options for moving the driveway without major site disturbance. The team said they explored alternatives, but none yielded a workable garage/turnaround without significant grading that would endanger trees. The commission accepted those arguments as part of its deliberations but still required additional screening and two replacement trees as mitigation.
