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Tree commission outlines canopy gaps and enforcement limits under 1995 ordinance
Summary
Tree commissioners told the conservation commission that Middletown has low canopy—especially in the West Side—citing the 1995 tree ordinance (adopted after Hurricane Bob) and limited funds and legal tools for long-term maintenance enforcement.
Karen Day of the Middletown Tree Commission described efforts to expand tree canopy and prioritize native species, noting the town doubled tree-commission funding but still faces areas (especially the western part of town) with very low canopy because of past land use and military and airport properties. The commission emphasized equitable planting—targeting underserved neighborhoods—while acknowledging maintenance costs and long-term survival concerns for planted trees.
Karen Day recalled why the ordinance was adopted: "it it's only been enforced since the tree ordinance, which came right after hurricane Bob. So it's 1995 thereabouts, which is when the tree commission was developed." Speakers described instances where landscape plans initially installed trees but poor planting or maintenance (rocks in islands, later cementing) caused failure; they urged stronger coordination with Planning Board enforcement and clearer maintenance expectations for developers.
