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Developers and environmental groups clash over tree-conservation changes, citing affordability and canopy goals
Summary
At the CB-77 hearing, developers and institutions warned new reforestation and exemption changes would raise costs for infill, schools and affordable-housing projects, while environmental groups urged stricter grandfathering to protect canopy and climate resilience.
Several speakers at the Sept. 26 committee hearing framed CB-77-2024 as a clash between preserving existing tree canopy and avoiding additional costs that could hinder redevelopment and affordable housing.
The Prince George’s County Sierra Club urged limiting grandfathering to ensure new projects meet updated tree-conservation standards. Janet Kingold said: "Every project that is grandfathered to decrease tree conservation requirements makes a long standing, often permanent, impact on our climate resilience as well as on our tree canopy coverage, woodlands, and wildlife habitat." Developers and project sponsors countered that removing exemptions or shortening implementation windows would impose significant costs and delays. Mark Ferguson said regulations have increased project costs over time, pressing local affordability.
Speakers representing Saint Jerome Academy and other local institutions described concrete consequences: the school’s principal said the new rules could add "tens of thousands of dollars" to a planned expansion and that finding on-site space for required reforestation in dense historic neighborhoods would be infeasible without purchasing expensive credits. Industry representatives said they worked with planning staff and supported the staff amendment to extend certain exemption letters to give in-progress projects time to adjust, while environmental staff urged that broader canopy goals not be undermined.
The committee held CB-77 for further work to try to reconcile these competing priorities; staff committed to continuing stakeholder meetings before the next committee date.
