Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Want some thrash? We're back with another sprawling round-up of the very best new metal songs you need to hear, and this week it seems we've stumbled through a wormhole to the 80s as we bring you some of the finest fast'n'furious metal tracks since the Big Four earned their stripes.

But first, the results of last week's vote! There was a tight-run dash for third place as Orange Goblin took on Kittie, but ultimately the nu metal vets pulled ahead for an admirable third place. In turn, Black Label Society drummer Jeff Fabb showed off his wares on boundary-pushing new track Love And War, but the clear winners of the week were Within Temptation, whose new standalone single A Fool's Parade serves as a reminder of just how powerful that band have become in recent years.

This week it's all to play for as we bring you a mix of names old and new, looking everywhere from Brazil to Thailand, the US to Finland to find you the very best new metal songs around. As ever, we need your help to crown the best song of the week, so don't forget to cast your vote below. Happy listening!

Theres a little over a month to go until we get Kerry Kings solo debut From Hell I Rise, but our thrash appetites are being kept satiated with new single Residue. If previous single Idle Hands was all about capturing the full-throttle viciousness of Slayer at their best, then Residue is a more direct showcase of the tight rhythmic grooves King and drummer Paul Bostaph lock into when working together, tapping into the claustrophobic intensity of God Hates Us All era Slayer.

Balancing ethereal melodies and almost proggish percussion, Turkish drummer Leyan Senay offers a distinctive vision of the alternative on new single Bluetiful. A bewitching mix of alt. metal weirdness and gothic grandeur - not hurt by creeping piano melodies - the track is one of her first solo compositions, having made her name serving as both a drum teacher YouTuber who previously performed drum cover videos online.

Theres a lot to talk about heading into new Architects single Curse. For much of 2024 the Brighton band have been under fire over guitarist Adam Christiansons apparent sharing of homophobic and transphobic content, Christianson later claimed sharing the content was a total accident. The release of a new single with minimal acknowledgement of the backlash will likely only add more fuel. Produced by former BMTH keyboardist, backing vocalist and songwriter Jordan Fish, Curse marks the first new song Fish has produced since departing his former band in December and brings some of the enormity and radio-friendly hooks that made Bring Me a trend-setting band in modern metalcore. It also continues the stylistic shift the band touched on with previous single Seeing Red, suggesting that now theyre comfortably headlining arenas in Europe - and with a Bloodstock headline debut to come in August - theyre setting their sights on pushing their own boundaries.

Anyone for some rampaging black metal? Almost 40 years and 20 studio albums havent curbed Darkthrones appetite for ragged, tooth-gnashing black metal and where many of their contemporaries have embraced more grandiose elements, Fenrizs Norwegian stalwarts still sound as if theyre crawled straight out of the grave on latest single Black Dawn Affiliation. New album It Beckons Us All is out on April 26 and Dawn is yet more proof that if it aint broke, it dont need fixing.

Sign up below to get the latest from Metal Hammer, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox!

Its been a decade since Nothing More stepped up into the big leagues with their self-titled third album, embracing a more alt-metal friendly sound. Massive crowds throughout the UK in February attested to just how that decision has paid off for the band, and new single House Of Sand captures some of the anthemic power that has earned them such a vocal and passionate fanbase. With guest vocals from I Prevails Eric Vanlerberghe, the track is powered by buoyant riffs and stuttering guitars than chuck a bit of nu metal into the mix, suggesting new album Carnal might be their heaviest release in years whilst not losing sight of the enormous choruses that have become the bands bread and butter. Either way, well find out June 28.

With their second album Ferality, UnityTX were as comfortable on bouncing hardcore rager like Burnout as they were dipping into synth-driven trap tracks like Diamond Diez, mixing hardcore, hip hop and metal in a fascinating way. New single Playing Favorites shows off the bands more muscular hardcore edges, bounding along with menacing basslines and bulldog snarls that capture some of the visceral thuggishness of hardcore/crossover legends like Biohazard and Body Count.

Speaking of vicious, thuggish metalcore, Thailands Annalynn bring the beatdown in a big way with their latest single Circle The Flame. Taken from their upcoming Failure Will Find Me EP - due May 24 - the track is all clenched jaws and swinging fists, an absolute metalcore menace that reminds us that while some areas of metalcore are breaking through to arenas, others remain resolutely street-level without losing sight of the genres most ascendant elements.

Tapping in the abyssal majesty of cosmic doom, US doom trio Heavy Temple have just released their second album Garden Of Heathens. New single Extreme Indifference To Life captures the bands nihilistic yet utterly enthralling mixture of doom and psychedelia, vocalist High Priestess Nighthawk (yep, thats her name) capturing the misanthropic disdain of a Jus Osborn or Lee Dorrian whilst intoning her own unique spin on the genre.

A collision of metalcore and deathcore, August Burns Red have teamed up with Lorna Shore growler-in-chief Will Ramos for new single The Cleansing. While ABR havent exactly skimped on heaviness in the past, The Cleansing nonetheless feels like the band are bridging their melodic elements with Shores apocalyptic heft, skewing towards the deep end of extreme metal as the song builds to a gloriously demonic mid-section. Epic, in the very best way.

Based out of Los Angeles, newcomer Dolly Dagger captures some of that citys dark yet irresistible allure on new single Tower. The subtle pulses of electronica feel in keeping with the citys industrial-tinged offerings from the likes of HEALTH or 3Teeth, but Tower also mixes in the seductive earworm brilliance of alt. rockers like Garbage and the tight, canned-riff qualities of Helmet in a punchy three-and-a-half minute package.

With alumni of Children Of Bodom, Nightwish and Finntroll in their ranks, its fair to say Crownshift have a lot to live up to. Thankfully the Finnish supergroup seem determined to aim high, new single My Prison offering a mixture of shimmering prog metal and Alice In Chains like soulful gravitas with massive breakout moments that capture a sense of enormity. The bands self-titled debut is out May 10 via Nuclear Blast, and definitely one to keep an eye out for.

Coming on like the bastard offspring of a natural disaster and a 20-car pile-up, Thou this week announced new album Umbilical for a May 31 release. A wall of ear-shredding extremity that blurs lines between noise, black metal and all-out extremity, lead single I Feel Nothing When You Cry should be all the persuasion you need to batten down the hatches and prepare for absolute devastation when this record arrives.

Kerry King not scratching the thrash itch for you? Then get some Authors Of Fate in your lugs. the Los Angeles thrashers latest single Leather Liver dialling up the extremity to almost ludicrous levels as the band blur boundaries between extreme metal subgenres, delivering the gut-wrenching nastiness of old school death metal with the pacing of Teutonic thrash.

Whats that, you want more thrash? Then cast your eyes down to Brazil, death metal brutes Troops Of Doom going full Slayer on the infernally brilliant Chapters Of The Unholy. Taken from the bands upcoming second album A Mass To The Grotesque, due May 31. If you were delighted by the Cavalera brothers decision to rework their early death metal/thrash crossover material last year, this one is an absolute must. Prepare for a very, very sore neck.

Read more from the original source:
The best new metal songs this week: April 12 2024 - Louder

The UKs skills gap is a long-standing problem affecting a broad range of critical sectors not least infrastructure. Having featured on the governments Shortage Occupation List since 2019, architects are in high demand and short supply a situation not helped by the end of free movement from the EU which took effect in the same year.

These post-Brexit resourcing challenges have come back into focus over the past few weeks, thanks to the new minimum salary requirements introduced by the government to curb immigration and the awarding of foreign work visas. The 48 per cent rise in the minimum salary threshold, setting the bar at 38,000, came into effect over Easter and has been condemned by the RIBA.

Looking to the future, its clear that our industry will need to place a greater emphasis on developing our own models for resourcing resilience. But we also need to find medium-term solutions and move away from traditional resourcing models where locally contracted teams apply a narrow, local focus to recruiting to meet need. In an industry characterised by an ebb and flow of work, and of large projects that can be stop-start by nature, this approach regularly leads to imbalances in the workforce a situation that becomes all the more complex during periods of economic volatility.

Agile staffing strategies that take a sustainable and collaborative approach can be more efficient and profitable

As an alternative, I would argue that we need to better embrace long-term collaborative partnerships between practices large, small, self-employed or sole practitioners, international and local to move away from hire and fire. Through flexible but robust partnerships, we can smooth out the peaks and troughs in workflow and create stability within individual practices.

A new mindset is needed to support this approach, and it starts with the decision to bid, not when a project has been secured. However, its not simply about how we approach individual bids or projects but about long-term resourcing; and it applies as much to large firms pooling resources with one another to cope with major projects or long-term frameworks as working with SMEs to outsource work.

Working for a global organisation, I am fortunate that I can draw support from other geographies for example, using the expertise of colleagues across Europe and India. Likewise, our UK-based architects can support other teams on projects overseas. In essence, we are able to base decisions on skillsets and availability rather than location.

Committing to building long-term mutually beneficial partnerships not only helps to develop sustainable pipelines for those businesses involved, it also delivers social value and a platform for local firms to access opportunities they might otherwise miss.

These partnerships only work, though, when the smaller entity is properly integrated into blended project teams rather than being seen as a remote resource tasked with an isolated scope. For example, our delivery of the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast was the product of a 10-year partnership with local firm, Isherwood + Ellis, which was responsible for almost half of the architectural scope.

In practice, genuine collaboration may mean co-locating teams in the same office or on site alongside client reps and the supply chain on larger projects. But technology and cloud-based platforms are making this easier.

Even before the coronavirus pandemic made the provision of flexible and hybrid working an imperative, advances in communications technology had made more agile approaches to resourcing projects possible. Thanks to technology, UK architects have a better opportunity than ever to access a greater volume and variation of projects at home and internationally which, in turn, will aid our ability to more effectively manage peaks and troughs. The physical world is disappearing, and we need to be prepared to follow by breaking away from the limiting mindset of geography and hiring those you can touch.

Delivering major infrastructure projects on time and on budget is a significant challenge in an unpredictable and volatile operating environment. Its a challenge that affects clients as well as their design and construction teams, so deploying the right people in a timely manner is critical.

By developing agile staffing strategies that take a sustainable and collaborative approach to resourcing, organisations can be more efficient and profitable and help to free the contracted workforce from uncertain demand. Ive seen the benefits of it first-hand in recent years and I hope to see it take root throughout our industry as a core part of an industry-wide approach to the skills gap.

Trevor Leaker leads AECOMs architecture and design group in the UK and Ireland

Original post:
Why architects sorely need a new approach to resourcing projects - Architect's Journal

As fans of the Tidal Basins best-known cherry tree mourn its impending demise, many are wondering: Why cant Stumpy the famous stump-shaped tree be saved?

Readers commenting on a recent Washington Post article on the issue suggested replanting the tree with a backhoe, couple guys with shovels and volunteers. The hollow cherry tree on the south side of the basin will be removed by the National Park Service this spring during construction of a new sea wall for flood prevention. Approximately 150 cherry trees will be cut down during the project.

But the Park Service is holding firm to its plans and it has prompted a question among the trees fans: Why cant the tree be moved to higher ground?

While in some cases trees can be successfully moved, the likelihood that Stumpy would not survive the move combined with the cost rules out transplantation as a viable alternative. The trunk is in advanced stages of decay, Matthew Morrison, an arborist for the National Park Service, said in an email to The Post.

Transplanting the tree to a new location would not be conducive to her success. It would be doubtful that the woody portions of the overhead branch, the trunk, and/or the roots would stay intact without fracture during the process, Morrison added.

Stumpy became popular in 2020 after a Reddit user joked that the tree was as dead as his love life. Over the past four years, the trees popularity has grown because it has survived daily flooding from the Potomac River and in ways became a symbol of resilience.

But thats also contributed to its deteriorating health.

The tree has long been a victim of twice-daily flooding, sun scalding, compacted soil and fungi, and is already in what botanists refer to as its mortality spiral, Mike Litterst, a spokesman for the National Mall and Memorial Parks, said in an email. Due to its loss of structural integrity and its extremely weakened condition, Stumpy simply would not survive an attempt to move it.

This spring, Stumpy the tree will pass the baton to Stumpy the mascot, which will celebrate its spirit during future Credit Union Cherry Blossom races, including races this weekend.

While the organizers of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom [races] along with legions of devotees will be saddened to see Stumpy go, the mission of Stumpy the Mascot is to make sure that Stumpy is not forgotten in the years to come, Phil Stewart, director of the cherry blossom races, said in an email.

And on Saturday, Stumpy the mascot will also appear at the Blossoms and Baseball game at Nationals Park. Stumpy will join the Racing Presidents to greet fans before the Nationals game and will guest star in the mid-fourth-inning Presidents Race.

So, while the tree will disappear from the Tidal Basin later this spring, the image of Stumpy will live on. And little Stumpy clones, produced from its clippings, will be planted in D.C.

The Trust for the National Mall, the non-profit partner of the National Park Service, and its Adopt A Cherry Tree Program help care for the 3,700 cherry trees, including the future saplings genetically matched to Stumpy.

If you want to visit Stumpy the tree before its gone, it can be viewed during the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which lasts through April 14. Stumpy is located just west of the Jefferson Memorial.

Visit link:
Fans mourning cherry tree's removal ask: Why can't Stumpy be replanted? - The Washington Post

STORY AT KCTV DOT COM. WELL, NEBRASKA GAME AND PARKS IS CLOSING A PART OF A GRETNA PARK. THE ARCHERY RANGE IN SOME OF THE HIKING TRAILS WILL BE CLOSED AT SCHRAMM PARK STATE REC AREA. THIS STARTS TOMORROW. THATS SO CREWS CAN REMOVE SOME INVASIVE TREES A

Portion of a Gretna park will be closed for invasive tree removal

Updated: 4:43 PM CDT Apr 4, 2024

Nebraska Game and Parks is closing part of a Gretna park. The archery range and some of the hiking trails will be closed at Schramm Park State Recreation Area, starting Friday. The closure will be so crews can remove invasive trees and shrubs.There will be signs showing which areas are closed off.Click here for the latest headlines from KETV NewsWatch 7

Nebraska Game and Parks is closing part of a Gretna park.

The archery range and some of the hiking trails will be closed at Schramm Park State Recreation Area, starting Friday.

The closure will be so crews can remove invasive trees and shrubs.

There will be signs showing which areas are closed off.

Click here for the latest headlines from KETV NewsWatch 7

Continued here:
Portion of a Schramm Park will be closed for invasive tree removal - KETV Omaha

SHORELINE, Wash. A major re-design of a roadway will create a more walkable route for people to reach light rail in Shoreline, but it comes at the expense of hundreds of trees.

Huge Douglas firs, big leaf maples and red cedars got caught in a collision course with the project and protesters showed up as crews began chopping them down on Thursday. The first of 317 trees began being cleared Thursday morning along North 145th Street near Interstate 5, and the removal is expected to continue into the weekend.

Protesters with the group Save Shoreline Trees and other grassroots organizations held up signs advocating for the trees as they were being taken down. Many had spent months lobbying to save them.

We have to have trees. There is nothing we can manufacture that will do for us what the trees do for us, said Sandy Shettler with the group Tree Action Seattle. We held out hope that because of the craziness of taking down the very thing that enables us to survive, that their minds would be changed, that something could be done with this project."

RELATED | 7-month road closure, tree removal begins on North 145th Street near I-5 in Shoreline

For the next seven months, a section of North 145th Street will remain closed between 1st Ave NE to just west of I-5 as improvements are made along the corridor ahead of the opening of a light rail station later this year.

The city wants to widen the sidewalk and make traffic flow improvements along North 145th Street by replacing the traffic signals at the access ramps to I-5 with roundabouts, calling them a better option for cars, bicycles and pedestrians to access the light rail station that will open later this year.

A city spokesperson said the current layout is congested, accident prone and largely inaccessible to people walking or riding bicycles. Getting people out of their cars and using public transit, such as light rail, will help the city achieve its climate goals, the spokesperson said.

They could easily be building around many of these trees but they are choosing not to, said Richard Ellison, one of the protesters. Somebody is posturing and saying, 'Oh we have to just mow them all down and we can't build around them,' and they could be looking and saying, 'Hey here's a cluster of some really nice trees, let's make the sidewalk go around them."

ALSO SEE | Lynnwood light rail extension, 4 new stations to open Aug. 30

According to the city, modifications have been made to some aspects of the project to save more trees. They will also eventually plant nearly twice as many trees as are removed to make up for the loss.

They will not provide the cooling for people or the habitat for wildlife that these trees provide," Shettler said.

Hundreds of additional trees will be cut down as future phases of the transportation project get underway, and demonstrators called on city officials to adjust the plans.

I hope that somehow we can stop them from doing that. They can change their plans. There's nothing that says you can't change your plans, said Joe Olson, one of the demonstrators.

Read the original post:
Protesters gather as extensive tree removal begins for Shoreline transportation project - KOMO News

L.L. Bean has just added a third shift at its factory in Brunswick, Maine, in an attempt to keep up with demand for its iconic boot.

Orders have quadrupled in the past few years as the boots have become more popular among a younger, more urban crowd.

The company says it saw the trend coming and tried to prepare, but orders outpaced projections. They expect to sell 450,000 pairs of boots in 2014.

People hoping to have the boots in time for Christmas are likely going to be disappointed. The bootsare back ordered through February and even March.

"I've been told it's a good problem to have but I"m disappointed that customers not getting what they want as quickly as they want," said Senior Manufacturing Manager Royce Haines.

Customers like, Mary Clifford, tried to order boots on line, but they were back ordered until January.

"I was very surprised this is what they are known for and at Christmas time you can't get them when you need them," said Clifford.

People who do have boots are trying to capitalize on the shortage and are selling them on Ebay at a much higher cost.

L.L. Bean says it has hired dozens of new boot makers, but it takes up to six months to train someone to make a boot.

The company has also spent a million dollars on new equipment to try and keep pace with demand.

Some customers are having luck at the retail stores. They have a separate inventory, and while sizes are limited, those stores have boots on the shelves.

Visit link:
Several road closures planned along Hwy. 82 in Burlingame for tree removal - NBC Bay Area

Tree and brush removal along Highway 101 next week will mark the first stages of preparation for a road improvement project scheduled to begin in the summer.

Crews will remove trees and brush within the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) right of way along the highway, spanning from Highway 5 in Chanhassen to County Road 62/Townline Road in Eden Prairie.

From Tuesday, April 9, through Friday, April 12, Highway 101 will be temporarily reduced to one lane with flagging in both directions at some locations between Highway 5 and County Road 62. These lane closures will occur from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

According to MnDOT, these closures could result in delays of up to 10 minutes. MnDOT notes that all timeframes are approximate, subject to change, and weather and schedule dependent.

Motorists are encouraged to plan their travel in advance, consult 511 for real-time updates, and allow extra time to reach their destinations. Officials remind drivers to exercise caution and patience when navigating through work zones, highlighting the importance of obeying speed limits and remaining alert to changes and the presence of workers and equipment. The fine for speeding in a work zone is $300.

The summer construction on Highway 101 will include road resurfacing, trail reconstruction on the west side, installation of overhead pedestrian signals at Twilight Trail and Valley View Road, drainage improvements near Purgatory Creek, and the creation of accessible pedestrian crossings and curb ramps.

Completion is projected for October.

For further details and updates on traffic impacts, visit the Hwy 101 project webpage or contact the project team.

We offer several ways for our readers to provide feedback. Your comments are welcome on our social media posts (Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn). We also encourage Letters to the Editor; submission guidelines can be found on our Contact Us page. If you believe this story has an error or you would like to get in touch with the author, please connect with us.

Go here to see the original:
Tree removal starts April 9 along Hwy. 101 in EP, Chanhassen - Eden Prairie Local News

Todays round of questions, my smart-aleck replies, and the real answers:

Question: As I sit through yet another day of saws buzzing, listening to my neighbors take down enormous trees in Kenilworth, I have to wonder how this is allowed in a place like Asheville? I grew up in Atlanta and even there I believe we had requirements to replant if trees were cut (an inch of diameter of trunk replanted for every inch removed). Why doesnt Asheville do anything to protect trees, even ones that are hundreds of years old?

My answer: Ive always been a little suspicious that the tree commission is sponsored by Stihl.

Real answer: I commiserated with this reader because in my neighborhood in Fletcher a couple of neighbors have recently mowed down a lovely stand of pine trees in one case and a row of Leyland cypresses in another. Both species can get big and pose problems, and sometimes disease could be a factor, but I always hate to see the trees go.

In Asheville, the city has made serious efforts to preserve trees and the tree canopy, according to spokesperson Kim Miller.

Asheville residents and city leaders cherish the beauty of our mountain home and have established ordinances, staff positions, and a community-led commission designed to protect and maintain our forests and trees, Miller said via email.

You can find the citys tree ordinance here. Its not that long but is a little dense to read.

The ordinance dates back a number of years and was spawned in part by outrage over tree cuts similar to what the reader expresses above. The intro to the ordinance states an October 23, 2019, study by Davey Resource Group found that from 2008 to 2018, the city lost 891 acres of tree canopy, a 6.4 percent reduction. The study also found the city has suffered measurable increases in airborne pollutants and damaging stormwater runoff as a result of its loss of tree canopy.

The city has a seven-member Urban Forestry Commission, which City Council appoints. The director of Planning and Urban Design administers the commission to protect and preserve the citys trees. The commission meets the first Tuesday of each month.

While it is not within the citys ability to require that all trees, or even specific trees, be preserved, the current ordinance uses a system of incentives focused on the preservation of existing trees, essentially making compliance easier when trees are saved versus cut or opting for a fee-in-lieu, Miller said.

The current tree canopy preservation ordinance has resulted in 2,473,521 square feet of canopy preserved, versus 336,850 square feet of canopy planted for compliance, Miller noted.

The city also hired an urban forester, Keith Aitken. You can find his contact information here.

The city can do only so much when it comes to ordinances, as property owners have rights that have to be respected. Also, the state, not cities, has ultimate authority in North Carolina.

The North Carolina state (General) Assembly has also established state rules, which limit the citys ability to regulate tree removal, Miller said.

But we do have a lot of folks around here who really cherish our trees, and its worth noting that Asheville GreenWorks, the nonprofit environmental group, expends a lot of energy to bolster our tree canopy.

We know that we are losing too many trees to development, the organization states on its website. Thats why were planting 2,500 trees each year to restore the tree canopy. To ensure we have enough trees to plant, we grow thousands of native trees each year at our two tree nurseries.

The Buncombe County Parks & Recreation Department provided a grant to install the tree nursery, according to the website. GreenWorks says the goal is to help the City of Asheville restore its tree canopy to 50 percent from 46 percent.

If youre interested in that program, send an email to volunteer@ashevillegreenworks.org.

Question: In what secret place are the Vance monument rocks being kept? And what will happen to them now that the court says the removal was OK?

My answer: I dont know, but the citys new all-granite block ice cream stand in Pack Square sure is nice. I imagine they dont even need air conditioning for that baby those stones must be two feet thick!

Real answer: No dice yet on this one, even though the states highest court ruled in late March that the citys removal of the controversial obelisk was legal.

I can certainly understand the desire for information on this, and I think there is a light at the end of this tunnel where disclosure will be possible, Asheville City Attorney Brad Branham said via email. However, in the immediate wake of the Supreme Court decision, I feel that the risk of providing that information is as high as it has ever been.

As reported by WLOS-News 13, the North Carolina Supreme Court announced its unanimous decision in the case on March 22, rejecting a lawsuit from a historic preservation group that had challenged the citys removal of the Vance Monument in Pack Square Plaza in 2021.

Vance, born in northern Buncombe County, served as the states governor during the Civil War, and in the United States Congress after the war. While he was a champion of public education, Vance, a slave owner before the war, also espoused horrible racial tropes and was unapologetically racist.

The city, which removed the monument in 2021, prevailed in the case, which was brought by the Society for the Historical Preservation of the 26th Regiment North Carolina Troops. That group had paid for a rehabilitation of the monument several years ago.

The city removed the 75-foot obelisk, which had towered over Pack Square since 1898, block by block and put the stones in storage.

Those who disagree with the courts ruling may feel compelled to seek out the materials in a desperate attempt to preserve the materials, Branham said. Therefore, in order to ensure that the final steps of this process can be carried out in a safe and effective manner, the city will only disclose the storage details after the removed materials have been disposed of. At that point, we will be happy to provide the requested details.

Branhan said he hopes that wont be too far in the distant future.

Both the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners and the Asheville City Council voted to remove the statue in 2020, saying it had become a public safety threat in the community, WLOS reported.

Asheville Watchdogis a nonprofit news team producing stories that matter to Asheville and Buncombe County. Got a question? Send it to John Boyle at jboyle@avlwatchdog.org or 828-337-0941. His Answer Man columns appear each Tuesday and Friday.TheWatchdogs reporting is made possible by donations from the community. To show your support for this vital public service go toavlwatchdog.org/donate.

More here:
Answer Man: Does the city have tree protection rules in place? Still no answer on where the Vance Monument stones ... - Asheville Watchdog

The proposed site for a Royal Farms at the intersection of Marjoram Way and New Center Drive, near Kerr Avenue, in Wilmington. (Port City Daily/Shea Carver)

WILMINGTON A gas station with multiple locations planned in New Hanover County has reached a roadblock because of the property owners failure to obtain a tree removal permit.

READ MORE: More gas stations fly South as city considers change in design standards

Internal emails obtained by Port City Daily show the Maryland-based convenience store brand Royal Farms is eyeing 710 N. Kerr Avenue for one of four stores planned in the county.

The emails reveal the objective was to have the rezoning application for the property 2.1 acres at the corner of N. Kerr Avenue and New Centre Drive in front of city council by February. However, the plans have stalled due to a tree removal citation issued on Oct. 27, 2022.

City spokesperson Lauren Edwards confirmed to PCD 38 trees were illegally removed from the property. The city issued a citation for the removal on Jan. 27. Mitigation of the trees is 498 caliper inches of tree, which can be replanted with any tree of 2 inches diameter or more.

An email from city zoning administrator Kathryn Thurston shows the fine for uprooting 38 trees, three of which are considered significant trees, is $23,450.

This is the base amount and not the more punitive metric used when we know the owner/developer to have been aware that a permit is required, Thurston wrote in the Feb. 22 email to the developers representative, Ward & Smith attorney Clint Cogburn.

Any tree that is not mitigated would be fined at a rate of $175 per caliper inch. Thurston clarified this equals $87,150 for the 38 trees. Adding in the fine, the total citation would be $110,600.

As of March 26, neither the citation nor the mitigation has been paid or otherwise satisfied and the parties remain in active discussions on a settlement, per Edwards.

Port City Daily could not reach Cogburn by press.

Cogburn has been working to reach a solution with City of Wilmington staff over tree mitigation since at least last fall.

A Sept. 6 email to senior planner Patrick OMahoney reveals Cogburns team had previously submitted an application for the development of Royal Farms without a traffic impact analysis, though one was completed. Cogburn also said a neighborhood meeting already had occurred in the spring and the only change made to the property since was the addition of a strip of land fronting N. Kerr Avenue.

Cogburn also indicated he was working with an arborist to develop a tree survey.

Around this time, Cogburn revealed more details on the Royal Farms site plan, namely that the gas station will have access points from all three roads surrounding it N. Kerr Avenue, New Centre Drive and Marjoram Way. Across from it is Smith Creek Village home development.

Cogburn said he understood some who have reviewed the plans OMahoney attributed these to the WMPO were concerned the Marjoram entrance would be used as a cut-through to N. Kerr Avenue. Marjoram Way runs behind the rear of the development to Cornerstone Condominiums and is wooded. The attorney said his clients could mitigate that shortcut by installing signage and traffic calming measures.

Each of these accesses is critical to the function and layout/operation of the site, Cogburn wrote.

Cogburn was also concerned with the trees fronting New Centre Drive, stating their presence inhibits site visibility. However, OMahoney replied that the trees in this area would most likely lie in a streetscape and, thus, are not permitted for removal.

The emails show a pre-TRC meeting occurred mid-September, but the project cannot move forward without a resolution on tree mitigation.

However, Cogburn argued the project should progress to the point where the developers know what trees would need to be removed for the gas station installation.

Given that we are looking to develop the site and address mitigation/landscape as part of that process, it would seem counterintuitive to issue/require mitigation of trees that would subsequently be removed, Cogburn wrote in a Sept. 20 email.

Cogburn sent several emails to the city, mainly questioning the cost of the mitigation. On Oct. 5, Thurston told the attorney it was not custom for the city to provide a mitigation cost estimate while the applicant was still working to bring the site into compliance or replanting trees.

She also told Cogburn he and his client could propose a settlement agreement at any time, which would go to the city attorney and manager for approval.

My thought is that they would want more clarification as to what you are able to plant on site prior to the authorization of any penalty modification, though, Thurston said.

The city received Cogburns proposed settlement in February.

In Thurstons reply, which included the $110,600 calculation from the city, she referenced what appears to be Cogburns proposal of paying $6,000. Thurston noted this would only equate to 5% of the total citation.

In the interest of equity to others in the development community who go through the proper procedures when pursuing development approvals, staff would be willing to present a recommendation of $25,200 to the city manager with a favorable recommendation, Thurston wrote in the same email to Cogburn.

Cogburn replied same-day confirming receipt.

If the project moves forward, the Royal Farms location will join the others planned across the county, including one behind the Azalea Inn and Suites on Market Street and another at the juncture of Highway 132 and Highway 17 in Castle Hayne.

The brand tapped the old Hops Supply Co. land on Oleander Drive as another location, though the deal fell through and another fan-favorite gas station, Wawa, is looking to sub-in.

The influx of gas stations to the area have been an object of controversy for locals opposed to the traffic, 24/7 noise and light operation, and environmental effects of the incoming C-stores on surrounding residential areas. The N. Kerr Avenue projects land is zoned residential a single-family home sits on the property and sits across from townhome-style and single-family residences.

Once the Royal Farms application reaches staff, it will go through the technical review committee, then the planning board, before reaching city council, which makes the final decision to rezone.

Reach journalist Brenna Flanagan at brenna@localdailymedia.com.

Want to read more from PCD? Subscribenowand then sign up for our morning newsletter,Wilmington Wire, and get the headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.

Follow this link:
Royal Farms location slowed down by $110K in tree removal fines - Port City Daily

State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada

Zip Code

Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe

Read this article:
Trees Throughout Sandwich To Be Pruned And Removed - CapeNews.net