Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Code enforcement, tree removal and staff training were the primary items on the Whitesburg City Councils agenda during their monthly meeting held on Tuesday night.

There were two required trainings and one certification that was discussed by the City Council. The first was the Mandated City Clerk Training at Carl Vinson Institute of Government from Sept. 10-12. The training was approved by the council at approximately $2,000 and will be attended by Donna Whitley and Wanice Odell.

The second training is a Police Chief Training running from July 23-26. Whitesburg Police Chief Chris Gilliland will attend the training that will cost Whitesburg $350. The cost of the training was approved by the council.

The certification requirement is a Court Clerk Certification in Columbus that runs from Sept. 20-22. Wendy Morris will be attending the Certification program. The course and Marriott Hotel cost of $382 was approved by the council.

Councilmember Lucy Gamble led a discussion of neglected properties within the Whitesburg city limits that go against city code and are decreasing surrounding property values. Gilliland talked about how things will be handled by the Whitesburg Police Department. Gilliland said he informed citizens that he has talked with some of the property owners in that area. In the future, Gilliand said he will be sending letters giving property owners a time constraint on fixing up their violations. If the violations are not handled within the time, property owners could be taken to court to be issued fines. No vote was done on this item of the agenda.

The last item that received a vote was the decision between two quotes for tree removal on Kelly Street. Rodriquez Services bid $4,900 and Rubes Tree Service bid $8,800. Councilmember Chris Lewis informed the council that the difference was there because Rubes Tree Service would need to rent the equipment. The council approved the bid of Rodriguez Services for the tree removal unanimously.

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Whitesburg takes a look at code violations and tree removal bid - Times-Georgian

An urban forest is a fluctuating community in itself.

Ames Forester Gabriele Edwards helps the local forest thrive, but she's in need of support from the city's residents.

A vast community of trees, like that in Ames, requires regular pruning to maintain its health. The local tree inventory is massive, and the forestry team isn't always aware of issues. Teamwork is the easiest solution.

"Our number one issues is safety," Edwards said.

Like a community of trees connected by their roots and the soil, Edwards asks residents to speak up before it's too late. There are always improvements to be made, trees to be removed and branches in need of cutting back.

"When people have an idea or see things or an interesting program or have a thought to share, please reach out. I appreciate that feedback and partnership," Edwards said. "I know I don't have all of the answers."

Edwards is Ames' second forester. The city has employed a dedicated arborist since 2018. The newest forester took over her position last August.

Few cities in the state have a dedicated forester, Edwards said. Other towns in Iowa with a forester, also known as an arborist, on staff include: Iowa City, Burlington, Decorah, Hiawatha, Des Moines, West Des Moines and Marion.

Edwards' role as forester aims at rejuvenation as well as maintenance of the area's forest and tree population. Without her, the lovely community that has accented the Ames landscape for decades could quickly dwindle.

"Managing and planning the urban forest is a critical component to a healthy community," Edwards said. "I see trees as important as any other infrastructure like clean water, clean air, roadways and parks. The one thing that connects all of these is trees."

Her work focuses on species diversity in the urban canopy as a way to avoid catastrophic depletion from disease and pests.

In 2013, Ames' canopy survey indicated 26% of the trees were maple and 16% were ash.

Edwards hopes to grow that population after recently initiating the planting of 340 additional trees across town in a shade over eight months.

With that in mind, Edwards almost never relies on any maple species when preparing for plantings, and certainly not ash since the Emerald Ash Borer infiltrated the US. Last fall, she directed the addition of 160 trees and another 180 this spring. She focuses on roughly 15 different species including oaks, native species, hackberry, hickory, sycamore, hornbeam, redbud, plum and serviceberry.

Edwards' main responsibilities as forester include overseeing trees in street right-of-ways as well as in the many city parks. Right-of-way property is an easement of the land between a sidewalk and the curb of a street. If there is no sidewalk, Edwards clarified that last 10 to 15 feet of a front yard next to the street is actually a public right-of-way easement owned by the city, not by the private homeowner.

She and her team are in the midst of a five-year cycle inspecting trees throughout town the city's public parks and in all right-of-ways. The department attacks the massive undertaking by splitting Ames into 29 different zones for inspections.

If trees require pruning or need to be taken down, the responsibility falls on the city and Edwards' team.

The forestry team inspected 996 trees during the winter months. But because they monitor the trees once every five years, Edwards says she needs help. The forester asks residents to reach out to her when they notice a tree in need of care.

She looks for branches hanging over sidewalks, roadways and structures. She also considers whether each branch should still be there in five years.

"Younger trees are deceptive in the say they grow," Edwards said. "When a branch is created, it doesn't stretch up away from the ground as the tree ages. That early branch, perhaps two feet off the ground, will always be just two feet off the ground.

The process is different from the growth of human limbs, she said. The branches remain stationary no matter how tall the tree becomes.

She said it might be fine for some trees to have branches just four or five feet off of the ground. But not if that tree is next to a sidewalk or roadway.

Edwards also said a well-structured tree has one primary leader trunk going straight up. If homeowners aren't careful they'll end up with co-dominate leaders, meaning a "V" shaped divergence in the tree trunk appears and weakens the structure.

Another reason for pruning is if the branches are crossed and rubbing each against other, or if a branch has a structurally unsound joint.

All of those issues, a missing primary leader, rubbing branches and weak joints can cause a tree to fall over or cause a heavy branch to fall, which could not only destroy property, but could prove fatal to people passing by.

The city has guidelines for what kinds of trees can be planted on the right-of-ways. Ames also has a rebate program to help encourage citizens to plant and grow trees. The rebate is for a specific approved list of native trees. It is available for a maximum of $75 per tree as well as two trees per year. Rebate information and forms can be found at the city's Smart Watersheds website.

Ames recently announced receiving a $10,000 Tree Planting Grant from the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service. The funds are designated for communities still recovering from the August 2020 derecho and tree loss from the Emerald Ash Borer.

The grant will be used to plant 75 trees in the Toronto Street neighborhood.

The city invites volunteers to join the parks and recreation department as well as the Ames Foundation from 9-11 a.m. Saturday, May 20 to help plant trees. Volunteer signup is available on the Ames Foundation website. Residents will meet at the corner of Toronto Street and Alberta Avenue.

Next week's planting is just one small step in Edwards' overall growth plan.

"I have big dreams for Ames," Edwards said. "I'd like to improve communication and share the benefits of trees. Like new research showing the mental health benefits and physical well-being of having more trees. Research finds that communities with a high level of tree canopy have a lower incidence of police calls and a lower incidence of domestic violence."

One of her most recent projects has been to salvage trees in need of removal.

She recently identified 85 trees that required pruning in Brookside Park. Four trees were also removed two of those were dead while another was split in a storm. Two of those 85 trees are being transitioned for alternative use. A black walnut struck by lightning is being carved by a chainsaw artist. Another tree, a silver maple, had it's canopy removed but the trunk remained.

"We took out the hazardous canopy over the trail but kept the trunk for wildlife habitat," Edwards said. "We are very deliberate, trying our hardest to create unique solutions and provide for wildlife needs."

The urban forest of Ames is in good hands with Edwards at the helm.

Teresa Kay Albertson covers politics, crime, courts and local government in Ames and central Iowafor the Ames Tribune and Des Moines Register. Reach her on Twitter @TeresaAlberts11 and at talbertson@registermedia.com, 515-419-6098.

Original post:
Ames city forester says tree health is all about diversity - Ames Tribune

The Fayston Select Board approved amended land use regulations (LURs) drafted by the planning commission on Tuesday, May 9, 2023. The planning commission had made revisions to the proposed LURs based on comments at the select boards first public hearing in January.

The planning commissions report says, The Fayston Planning Commission (PC) started the development of the proposed amendments to the Fayston Land Use Regulations immediately following the adoption of the amended Town Plan in 2020. The PCs goals are to: streamline and clarify permit process; produce clarity for applicants and review boards around requirements for conditional use permit applications, definitions that were previously lacking, and provide for electronic submission requirement to accommodate for less paper waste, ease of meeting and hearing preparation, and remote meeting participation; allow for creative housing opportunities: update Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) to reflect less restrictive statutory reference, and consolidate Planned Residential Unit (PRD) and Planned Unit Development (PUD) sections; and preserve natural resources: incorporate conservation strategies to preserve Faystons forest resources, scenic views, climate resiliency, and wildlife habitat.

Were 100% guided by the Fayston Town Plan and the goals and objectives in that plan, planning commissioner Karen Sauther said this week.

At the May 9 select board meeting, Sauther ran through the revisions made to the LURs, which included updating the section on accessory dwelling units (ADUs), removing the requirement that they be in an existing structure and increasing the allowable size of an ADU as percentage of principal dwelling to 90% with Development Review Board (DRB) approval.

There was also discussion at the May 9 meeting about whether cutting trees on a homeowners property required DRB approval. Sauther said that DRB approval would be needed pre-development.

If someone has a structure already permitted and wants to cut trees, not for agricultural purposes and not intending to develop, nothing in our regs Im aware of would regulate that, Sauther said. She suggested that homeowners looking to cut trees consult with a forester beforehand.

Under Development Site Clearing and Site-Preparation Standards in the new regs, it says, Pre-development site clearing and site preparation shall be reviewed by the Development Review Board in accordance with these regulations. For all site clearing and site preparation, existing forest cover shall be maintained to the greatest extent possible. The DRB may set requirements and conditions to minimize impacts when an application proposes any of the following as part of a proposed development: If there is to be tree removal for views from the site, it shall be done as to create view corridors. The Development Review Board may limit the amount of tree removal and site clearing and require the planting of additional trees or other vegetation in order to assure adequate screening, and the board may require the applicant to submit a plan for maintaining and replacing designated trees during or after site development and constructions. New tree planting shall be of species that are native, non-invasive, and climate change resilient for the location of planting.

Site clearing that may impact scenic view sheds, including but not limited to view points shown in Map 11 Designated Scenic Resources, Town of Fayston, January 04, 2016. Site clearing that may have adverse impacts to wildlife corridors (or potential travel corridors) as depicted on Town Plan Map 5 Fayston Core Habitat, significant wildlife habitat, or cause forest fragmentation in forest blocks. The Board may require stumps remain on slopes 15% to prevent erosion.

I would encourage everybody to read the entire LURs, said DRB chair Shane Mullen. The new LURs are available to view at faystonvt.com under planning commission notices and documents.

More here:
Fayston approves amended land use regs - The Valley Reporter

May 10, 2023|by Erik Torkells

Are the eucalyptus trees that line the 600 block of Park Lane protected? emailed K. I was horrified to see that 655 Park Lane is in process of removing all of the trees that line their road frontage. Is there something that can be done to ensure other properties dont do the same? The work that has been done is irreparable, and has forever changed the beauty of one of Montecitos coveted streets. The trees are at the northern end of the iconic alle, so it couldve been worse, but still, what a pity. Im looking into whether the county has regulations regarding trees on private property (besides oaks, which are protected). To be fair, there may have been a reason we dont knowthe trees couldve been diseased, for instance, or the power company might have insisted on their removal. UPDATE: The area is not in the coastal zone or in an environmentally sensitive habit therefore no permit is required, said a rep for the county. Im not sure whether the streetwise location was taken into consideration. UPDATE 5/14: The owner of 655 Park Lane emailed an explanation: It is a beautiful part of Montecito and the tunnel of Eucalyptus on lower Park is fantastic. However, we have had three of the Eucalyptus tress that line the road come down, over the last few years and each of these had taken out a specimen Live Oak on each occasion. The last tree fall took out both an irreplaceable Oak and put holes in our roof. They are not native to the area and, unfortunately, dont have great root systems so in that particular location, with native Oaks and our home on one side, and the power lines on the other (which causes SCE to trim them such that they are weighted toward the house)its a problem. After the last tree fall, that was my limit. I value the Oaks higher than the Eucalyptus, and the danger to the home was just an overhanging worry. He included this photo:

Robert Redfields More Than Just A Party Band, a documentary about Spencer the Gardener, premieres at the New Vic Theatre on May 20: Growing up in the idyllic 1970s Santa Barbara, a surfing basketball-playing tango-dancing musician effortlessly achieves a flash of early fame but is then forced to rewrite his definition of success when faced with a harsh music industry, unrelenting personal obstacles, and cultural shifts. The result is 40 years of his own enduring and quirky brand of music and entertainment style that some say sounds like the soul of Santa Barbara.

Radius Commercial Real Estates first-quarter report included the sale of 6900 Hollister Avenue (at the northwest corner of Storke Road, and current site of the Vitamin Shoppe and Montecito Bank & Trust) to an owner-user that appears to be the Ferris Orthodontic Group.

Press release from Elings Park and the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden:

The public is invited to take part in a series of eight free nature walks to explore the biodiversity of the 230-acre Elings Park as part of a new collaboration between the park and Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. Each hike has a different natural history focus, such as plants, pollinators, or birds, and are led by Garden experts.

The first event, held Thursday, May 11, from 9 a.m. to noon, is a bioblitz of the park led by Denise Knapp, Ph.D., the Gardens director of conservation and research, and Annie Ayers, herbarium technician. After a brief tutorial, participants use the iNaturalist app on smartphones to record the pollinators, birds, bugs, plants, and more that they discover on the walk. No reservations are required. Meet at the parking lot adjacent to the park administration building. Participants should download and log in to iNaturalist before the walk.

The data gathered on this walk will be used as part of a larger collaborative effort between the two partners and the public to transform a section of the park from invasive to native plants and document the effects. Future walks are scheduled, once a month, through the end of 2023.

Santa Barbara Airport has joined the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program: This program enables people with varied disabilities, especially non-visible disabilities, to access the support they need and travel through SBA with enhanced ease. Passengers with a disability may voluntarily choose to wear a Sunflower lanyard, or other Sunflower branded item, to discreetly indicate they need extra assistance or time. Airport staff are trained to recognize the Sunflower and are available to provide an even higher level of assistance and support as needed. Im all for it, but putting hidden disabilities on the front does reduce the discretion somewhat.

J. reports that Orient Hand Laundry on S. Fairview Avenue in Goleta has closed.

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Siteline | A Bunch of Park Lane's Beloved Eucalyptus Trees Have ... - Siteline Santa Barbara

"You cannot replace a forest of mature trees with three- to five-foot bushes and trees."

Editor:

I heartily agree that the city is allowing too many trees that provide us with oxygen, soil stabilization and shelter, both from the heat and for wildlife, to be cut.

I am looking at eight 60- to 80-foot cedars, spruce, pine and fir trees from my kitchen window, growing on a lot slated for development, and I have been told by the developer that they are trying to save three of them. If we were to sell our lot, our gorgeous large cedars, hemlock and big-leaf maples would also likely come down.

A forest around the corner, at Malvern and Hazard, was removed several years ago to accommodate the development of six lots with a view of Deer Lake, two of which are still on the market and which look like they might be unstable.

A small part of the area has been replanted, but you cannot replace a forest of mature trees with three- to five-foot bushes and trees. The wildlife disappeared.

Same story with another lot around the same corner, and one behind us, where extremely large homes resulted in the removal of the trees.

The city has also done its own fair share of cutting trees deemed to be unstable because they might fall down.

These examples amount to four tree removal projects within a block-and-a-half of us. I do not know what Burnaby is thinking, but they would do well to look at developments in Vancouver where large apartments have been built, leaving very tall trees intact (e.g. West 10th and Maple).

I believe owners and developers also need to take some responsibility in preventing damage from further climate change by leaving our green canopy as isand designing with that in mind.

Marion Shikaze

SOUND OFF: Is Burnaby doing enough to save trees? What should be done to helppreserve the city's tree canopy and greenspaces as Burnabydevelops?Share your thoughts send us a letter.

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Burnaby politics: City of Burnaby, BC needs to save trees - Burnaby Now

Over the last few days, we have received a few inquiries about construction and tree removal activity along Webb Bridge Road between Alpharetta High School and the Big Creek Greenway. The activity and similar work underway near the intersection of Webb Bridge Way is related to the latest phases of the Webb Bridge Road Improvement Project.

You may recall seeing information in mid-March in local news media, on our website and social media channels, or in our newsletter about this work beginning. (Reference the original article).

The two phases of the project that are currently under construction include the replacement of the bridge over Big Creek and construction of a new roundabout at the intersection of Webb Bridge Road and Webb Bridge Way. The overall project stretches from Webb Bridge Way westward to Morris Road but is divided into five segments:

Phase 1: Extending the Culvert/Tunnel and access to Big Creek Greenway from Webb Bridge Road

Phase 2: Webb Bridge Park to Maid Marion Close including a roundabout at Webb Bridge Way

Phase 3: Maid Marion Way to the Big Creek Greenway

Phase 4: Big Creek Greenway to North Point Parkway

Phase 5: North Point Parkway to Morris Road

The project is designed to advance Webb Bridge Roads role as a residential collector corridor through a design that reduces vehicular speeds and elevates operational safety while also providing enhanced pedestrian, bicycle, and landscape amenities. It will narrow the width of the travel lanes on Webb Bridge Road to 10.5 feet, which will allow for a reduction in the speed limit and allow for the addition of multi-use paths, bike lanes, landscaped medians, pedestrian lighting, and other amenities.

Work on the Webb Bridge Road Improvement Project began in 2016 with a series of public input sessions and design charrettes through which residents, especially those living along the corridor, guided development of the initial design concepts. Phase 1 of the project was completed in 2021, and the City anticipates bidding construction of the Phase 3 segment during the second quarter of 2023. A schedule has not been established for Phase 5, which will be influenced by the Georgia Department of Transportations anticipated replacement of the bridge over Georgia 400.

To learn more about the Webb Bridge Road Improvement Project and other infrastructure and parks projects currently being worked by the City of Alpharetta, please visitthe City Projects page of our website.

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Answering The Question, "What Is Happening On Webb Bridge Road" - Alpharetta

Felled trees and vegetation left on the edges of highways are sparking wildfire concerns among many neighbors in Snohomish County, especially as temperatures begin to climb. (KOMO News)

Wildfire concerns are resurfacing in Snohomish County and this time it has to do with trees and brush that were cut down and left along highway shoulders.

The coming days could set new records for high temperatures this early in the year. Neighbors said they want these potential fuels cleaned up and cleared away before they potentially catch fire.

The cut trees poke into the air along the shoulders of US Highway 2 and can also be seen on the edges of State Route 9. As the heat returns to Western Washington, they look like sitting fire hazards to many neighbors and they want the Washington State Department of Transportation to take action (WSDOT).

RELATED:Heat Advisory in effect for most of western Washington this weekend

People are just concerned and looking to them to be proactive, said Bubba Deach, who own a restaurant in Sultan called Bubbas Roadhouse Bar & Grill.

Deach hosted a town hall following the Bolt Creek Fire that broke out late last summer and says he received assurances from U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell and other officials that steps would be taken to better safeguard the area against future disasters.

Lawmakers had said they put money aside for these entities to make change," Deach said, and be proactive rather than reactive."

KOMO News reached out to WSDOT, which directed the tree removal. A spokesperson said the trees that were chopped were hazardous or diseased and needed to be removed but the contractor who handled the work took out more than intended.

All those felled trees are in the process of being cleared, the spokesperson said, and the healthy ones will be chipped and used for landscaping.

I know there's a lot of concern that all the entities, including WSDOT, are doing the best they can to be preventative, Deach said.

A bigger concern for many firefighting agencies is that people remove the tall grasses and brush around their homes to create a buffer zone in a case a wildfire does approach.

However, residents said having downed trees drying out along busy highways - where a random spark or tossed cigarette can set them alight - also need to go.

Let's get that stuff out of there now or deal with it so it's not fuel for the next fire, Deach said.

WSDOT said it should take a few more weeks to clear the cut-down trees and brush from the highway shoulders. New trees will also be planted to make up for the ones the contractor took out by mistake.

Continue reading here:
Fallen trees pose wildfire threat along Snohomish County highways - KOMO News

The towering blue gum tree, also known as a widowmaker, has been dropping branches on neighbours, damaging the footpath and creating huge cracks in the floor and wall of his garage and courtyard for at least seven years.

Richard Clarke said a tree outside his Darlinghurst home had caused extensive damage to his property. Brook Mitchell

The roots of the tree have also completely blocked a stormwater drain, which leads to flooding when it rains heavily, he said.

But Clarke and his neighbours on their Darlinghurst street are at loggerheads with the City of Sydney over who is ultimately responsible for its removal.

Clarkes neighbour Jane Milton said homeowners in her strata block had spent seven years and thousands of dollars in arborist and engineering reports trying to convince the council that the tree is dangerous and causing property damage.

Milton and her neighbours have forked out about $8000 to rectify the damage they say has been caused by the tree.

Boughs have dropped, narrowly missing cars and pedestrians several times, she said.

A council spokesman said the tree was located on private property and was the responsibility of the strata-managed block that owns the land.

The tree sits in a garden bed in a lane that is part of Miltons strata block. However, the strata owners say the council has maintained the garden bed and had lopped tree branches in the past.

A council officer this month also told Clarke that falling third and fourth order branches were not uncommon during severe weather were and not a valid reason to remove a tree.

Milton said residents were willing to pay for the removal of the tree and seek reimbursement later, but the council was yet to grant permission without conditions which are difficult to meet, such as the type of replacement and where it should go.

Several expert reports have been commissioned by Miltons strata committee, including one that concludes: Serious consideration should be taken regarding its removal.

Darlinghurst residents say a towering blue gum has dropped branches and caused property damage, costing them thousands of dollars in repairs and expert reports. Brook Mitchell

However, a council arborist inspected the tree in September 2022 and determined the tree was not dangerous at the time of inspection, the spokesman said.

He said the owners could retain the tree and make repairs in line with a 2021 engineers report they had commissioned.

The second option is to remove the tree and plant a suitable species on the privately owned land where there is adequate space both above and below ground for the tree to thrive, he said.

Pagin + Mak Lawyers director Patrick Pagin said residents could go to the Land and Environment Court, which has a division dedicated to tree disputes, for an order to have the tree pruned or removed if it is on private property.

He said the court would require evidence that the tree posed a danger and a report from an arborist recommending pruning or removal.

The tree stoush follows calls from councils across Sydney for . Local councils also say efforts to plant more trees to combat heat waves have been undermined by the illegal removal of healthy trees on private property.

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Residents wage seven-year battle with council to remove dangerous tree - Sydney Morning Herald

Backlash over Infrastructure Minister Aaron Farrugias reasoning why 30 trees near Fgura needed to be removed has seen his Facebook page flooded with images from the scene with many questioning whether the action really was justified when you actually look at it.

The story, revealed by Lovin Malta on Friday, saw Climate Campaign Coordinator for Friends of the Earth Suzanne Maas raising the alarm after reporting the scene in Vjal il-Kottoner, a road between abbar and Fgura.

Infrastructure Malta told Lovin Malta the trees were removed as they were either invasive, damaged, or dead trees, all covered by necessary permits, if/when required; Farrugia himself said he had been given advice from a botanical expert for the trees to be removed, noting 90 saplings would be replacing the 30 mature trees.

Taking to social media, Farrugia posted an image of the story emblazoned with a big red FAKE.

Lovin Malta published this story implying we butchered trees for no reason. Typical spin, he said.

However, many among the 233 comments under his post at time of publishing just werent buying it.

All of the trees were dead? asked one man, sharing a before pic of the road.

There may have been one or two, but surely not all. Dead trees arent covered in leaves. Thanks for destroying another road. Whats the value in planting the small ones when you chop down the big ones? We need accountability.

I was born where the invasive trees are and they are older than you (or were, before you butchered them). That tree was born before you, and it isnt true that it was sick, Minister, said another, sharing a photo of the trunk of the freshly chopped mature tree.

You could have at least tried removing it and replanting it nsomma erajt waqajt ga ajt gax kulladd gandu gajnejh fwiu

The comments kept coming in.

Dead and theyre still green Minister? So what colour is alive then red? Prosit ministru.

Those trees have been there since Dom Mintoffs time.

Are you mad, or just living on the moon? Xmejtin l-Alla.

Minister, who is this botanical expert you spoke to?

Minister, you are invasive, not the trees that have been there for 50 years. Youve invaded a nation with amateurism and mediocrity, typical of young ministers who went from the kain tar-raal to a seat of power.

If this is a what a dead tree looks like, what does a live tree look like?

Malta Ranger Units Cami Appelgren also entered the comments section, with advice for Farrugia and asking for the process over why the trees were removed to be made public and more transparent.

Just a suggestion when large trees are scheduled to be removed (which will ALWAYS be followed by public outcry), why isnt the department responsible putting such info up for everyone to see BEFOREHAND? It would save you a lot of headache. And bluntly, I think the public has the right to such info

And even with ERA permit, doesnt always make it right Can the discussion about these trees removal be made public to see what the full reasoning was?

On the ERA permit on Friday, when the story broke, Friends Of The Earths Suzanne Maas told Lovin Malta that the activist group was unable to find a permit when searching for it online.

Who in todays age of climate crisis and air pollution can think it is right to remove mature trees? Furthermore, we cannot find a relevant permit online nor on-site by the authority commissioning the works, Infrastructure Malta.

And when Lovin Malta checked on Friday as well, no permit was found.

However, on Saturday, a permit appeared online, admitting the works targeting protected trees.

Independent politician Arnold Cassola did not mince words across two posts he made on the matter on his Facebook page.

Aaron Farrugia: who is the liar?

Farrugia tells us we are all stupid idiots. It is not true that mature trees have been chopped down between abbar and Fgura. Aaron Farrugia tells us that if we saw this, it is because we are all stupid. Unlike the illuminated ministru/minestru.

Lovin Malta obtained the letter advising Farrugia to remove the trees from Horticultural Consultant Peter Calleja.

And you can take a scroll for yourself through Farrugias comment section below.

Read the original story below.

Do you think Maltas infrastructure planning has hit rock bottom?

Read the original here:
'Gajjejtuna': Residents Flood Aaron Farrugia's Page With Pics Of ... - Lovin Malta

Plans for the 930,000-square-foot fulfillment center in Maidencreek Township. (READING EAGLE-KEITH DMOCHOWSKI)

Residents are appealing an attempt by developers to fast-track the approval of a land use application for plans to build a 930,000-square-foot warehouse at Route 222 and Schaeffer Road in Maidencreek Township.

Developer Maiden Creek Associates advertised a notice of deemed approval early in April, which claims that a conditional use application for the plans is deemed approved according to state law, due to the supervisors failure to comply with the rules for conditional-use hearings.

A township hearing on the application has been ongoing since late November.

Attorneys for the developers have repeatedly criticized township officials for allowing what they said was irrelevant and excessive cross-examination from about 20 residents opposing the plans who are parties to the proceedings.

Residents claim they have a right to ask detailed questions about a project they worry will significantly worsen traffic and road safety, and lower their quality of life.

The developers stepped up their criticism of the townships handling of the hearing in February, filing a lawsuit against Maidencreek for allowing the hearing to proceed with questioning they contend is inappropriate, irrelevant, beyond scope, or used to present the opposition partys case.

The notice of deemed approval is the developers latest attempt at remedying conduct theyve claimed amounts to a violation of their right to due process.

Township solicitor Eric Frey noted at a meeting in April that the township believes the deemed approval is not warranted.

There was nothing done improper by the township, Frey said of Maidencreeks handling of the hearings.

Frey noted at the meeting that the township is not legally allowed to start an appeal of the deemed approval, and that a member of the public would have to step forward and file a challenge.

A residents group opposing the warehouse said an appeal against the approval was filed April 28.

Township officials said they asked Berks County Court to discard the deemed approval.

Officials said a ruling by the court is pending.

Conditional use approval would not guarantee approval of the final plans, which still need to be reviewed by the township, as well as county and state agencies.

The conditional-use hearing continued April 26 with developers calling two expert witnesses to give testimony.

The first was Fred Ebert of Ebert Engineering Inc. in Montgomery County, who testified about the proposed warehouses plans for a fire suppression system.

Supervisor Heidi Fiedler objected to Ebert as an expert in fire suppression, claiming his resume lacked expertise relevant to the design of fire suppression systems.

Ebert said his report covered the ability of the system to provide necessary water storage, pressure and flow to a sprinkler system, and that the sprinklers themselves are designed by manufacturers, not civil engineers.

The supervisors voted 2-1 in favor of accepting Ebert as an expert witness, with Fiedler voting no.

Ebert said the design of the fast response fire suppression system exceeds the requirements laid out by the National Fire Protection Association.

The code requires a minimum of 60 minutes of fire protection, Ebert said. Weve doubled that. Were providing 120 minutes.

He said the system includes an independent storage tank that can be refilled by the public water system, which would extend that time.

This is a very robust system that does not rely on a single source of water, Ebert said.

Fiedler questioned whether the Maidencreek water system would be able to supply enough water in the event of a sustained fire.

You as a township adopted a code and established a minimum guideline (for water capacity), Ebert said. I have doubled that capacity. If theres a greater concern, the onus is on the township to change the code.

Several residents also asked questions about the qualities and capabilities of the fire system.

Next to testify was Mike Baltrusaitis, an expert in environmental, public health and occupational safety compliance with Pennoni, a Scranton-based engineering firm.

Baltrusaitis said he reviewed the warehouse projects impact on environmental performance standards laid out in the townships zoning rules, including standards on vibration levels, air quality impact, electromagnetic interference, storage of hazardous materials, glare, heat and waste generation.

He said he found no compliance issues with the project, and that it adhered to required standards.

The next hearing is scheduled for May 30 at 6:30 p.m. in the Willow Creek Elementary School auditorium.

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Residents appeal Maidencreek warehouse developers move to fast-track land use approval - Reading Eagle