Warren gets tough on 'tree chopping'

Posted 3/7/16

Public trees trimmed to the quick, pruned awkwardly around power lines and taken all the way down to the stump could be less common with Warren’s new tree ordinance, updated by the Warren Town Council at the request of the Warren Tree Commission. …

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Warren gets tough on 'tree chopping'

Posted

Public trees trimmed to the quick, pruned awkwardly around power lines and taken all the way down to the stump could be less common with Warren’s new tree ordinance, updated by the Warren Town Council at the request of the Warren Tree Commission.

The new ordinance toughens regulations dealing with trees on public lands, requires utilities and tree care companies to contact the tree warden when performing work on public trees, and expands the role of the town’s tree warden, currently John Massed.

One thing it doesn’t do is restrict what tree owners can do with so-called “significant trees” on their property.

That portion of the ordinance, phased out prior to its recent passage by the council, was a bone of contention when earlier versions of the ordinance were brought before the town for review.

Previously, owners of so-called significant trees (those with a girth of 28” or more at chest height) were required to obtain town permission to cut them down.

Warren Tree Commission chairman Charles Staton said that provision “gave us a chance to talk to them.”

“It was basically a waiting period,” he said. “If it didn’t need to be taken down, we would say, ‘Here’s what you can do to solve your situation.’”

“That doesn’t mean they still couldn’t take it down, but we asked that if they took it down without approval, that they would voluntarily plant a tree to replace the one that came down.”

What’s new?

Now, the only ones required to contact the town are those who seek to prune or take down trees on public property, including sidewalks and streetsides in front of private property. That includes private residents, tree companies and utilities. And private companies coming to town to do work must register with the tree warden.

One other change is the town’s notification process. Going forward, the tree warden will post “five day tags” on hazardous town trees that are to be taken down. The warden, currently Mr. Massed, will also notify members of the tree commission when tags are placed on town trees.

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