Council Poised to Reduce Borough Tree Requirements

Photo by Evan Brandt

Street trees blossom in spring time on Beech Street in Pottstown.

Borough council is expected to vote Monday on a proposal to lessen the requirements for planting trees when a property is developed or re-developed.

Specifically, the vote would authorize Borough Solicitor Charles D. Garner Jr. to advertise an amendment to the borough's sub-division and land development ordinance, known as a SLDO, and apply to the rules governing "open space trees" and "parking lot trees."

"This is the result of an ongoing theme at the planning commission," Garner told council during the Wednesday work session.

"We were calculating a large number of trees and then granting waivers and it was becoming problematic," he said.

Photo by Evan Brandt

Since council took responsibility for street trees away from the 

Shade Tree Commission in 2010, several trees,
such as this Bradford pear tree on 

West Second Street,
have been removed.

The number of trees required in the current ordinance "was a little bit extreme," said James Majewski, a senior project engineer with Remington, Vernick and Beach, which advised the planning commission.

Reviewing the tree requirements and making changes "was definitely time well-spent," Majewski said.

"This change primarily reduces parking lot trees and open space trees. Developers are still required to plant trees, but this change makes it a little more reasonable and a little more fair to those trying to develop their land," said Garner.

The change would reduce the number of open space trees required from the current level of one new tree for every 2,500 square feet to one new tree for every 8,000 square feet, said Garner.

Additionally, where the current standard requires one tree for every two parking spaces, the proposed new standard would be two trees for every eight parking spaces, he said.

Steve Toroney

The amendment would also result in more control over the species of trees planted, referring to the borough's current list of approved species; as well as the newer rules about locating trees, both of which were drawn up and are administered by Public Works Director Doug Yerger.

"This will create a lot more leeway then there is now," said Borough Council President Stephen Toroney, who sits on the planning commission.

Toroney, said the long-simmering issue came to a head when the school district presented its plans for the renovation of the three elementary schools.

"It was ridiculous. They were going to have to plant like a thousand trees," Toroney said.

Councilman Dan Weand, who is also the chairman of the Pottstown Planning Commission, added "where there was supposed to be open space and play space, there would have been a maze," "or Sherwood Forest," quipped Toroney.

"Also, its important to note that Pottstown has a lot more trees now than it used to. We've got pretty good tree cover now," Weand said.

Councilman Jeff Chomnuk said under the new guidelines, a space the size of the football field at Pottstown High School would require only six trees.

"It's definitely more workable," he said.

I Think that I Shall Never See...

Thinking of spring, and these blooming callery pear trees on Beech Street, as the cold winter winds blow.

Trees are among the oldest life forms on this planet.

And whether for its spring time flowering, the initials carved in its bark, or its willingness to host your tree house, almost everyone has a favorite tree.

But did you know they are also helping to keep you alive?

This revelation came to me courtesy of Pottstown resident and arborist Alan Jensen-Sellers, who posted a link on Facebook to an article in The Atlantic magazine.

The article had the tantalizing title: "When Trees Die, People Die," 

The Emerald Ash borer is about the size of a penny, but its impact

is huge.

It explored the link discovered between the mass reduction of the tree population by the invasive Emerald Ash Borer and an increase in cases of heart disease in areas where the insect has struck.

Here is the core of what was found:

When the U.S. Forest Service looked at mortality rates in counties affected by the emerald ash borer, they found increased mortality rates. Specifically, more people were dying of cardiovascular and lower respiratory tract illness -- the first and third most common causes of death in the U.S. As the infestation took over in each of these places, the connection to poor health strengthened.

You can read a copy of the study here.

This is a case of a benefit being proven by its absence, which I like to call the "Joni Mitchell Effect," Re: (Don't it always seem to go, you don't know what you've got till its gone...)

Certainly we all know that trees produce oxygen, which we need to live, and take in and store carbon dioxide, which is also a good thing.

They also act like giant cilia in the lungs of the world, filtering out air pollutants.

For example, the trees of Rock Creek Park in Washington, DC remove 63,500 pounds of ozone-forming pollutants each year, which has an annual value of $285,000.
This again from The Atlantic:

The Forest Service put a 3.8 billion dollar value on the air pollution annually removed by urban trees. In Washington D.C., trees remove nitrogen dioxide to an extent equivalent to taking 274,000 cars off the traffic-packed beltway, saving an estimated $51 million in annual pollution-related health care costs.

We also know that trees perform something called "storm water services."

What this means is that when it rains a lot, which is happening more and more thanks to global warming, trees absorb an amazing amount of water.

This saves us money.

How? Well the more water trees absorb, the less we have to deal with in storm drains, damns and stormwater containment basins.

Urban forests can reduce pollution and stormwater run-off.

A single mature tree can absorb up to 100 gallons of water, releasing some through evapo-transpiration and some back into the ground more slowly.

According to the U.S. Forrest Service, urban trees can reduce stormwater run-off, a pollution problem that is expensive to manage, by 2 to 7 percent.

And since planting trees costs less than building pipes and expanding wastewater treatment plants, cities like New York and Portland, Ore. are undergoing projects to plant thousands of trees as part of what is now called "green infrastructure.

What's my point? you may ask

Not much more than to point out that while trees can be a pain, making us rake their leaves, falling on our house or car in strong winds, rooting through our water or sewer lines, they have their good sides too.