BOROUGH OF STONINGTON

POLICY ON MAINTENANCE OF PUBLIC TREES

ORIGINALLY ADOPTED: JUNE 2006

REVISED: NOVEMBER 2006, DECEMBER 2011

PURPOSE: To establish criteria and procedures for performing near term and long term maintenance on public trees in the Borough of Stonington.

BACKGROUND: Trees contribute to the beauty and atmosphere of the Borough. Those located on public land, such as along streets and in parks, belong to all the citizens of the Borough. Therefore, there is a need for a defined process by which public trees are maintained, removed, and planted. The Borough Parks, Trees, and Rights-of-Way Commissioner is responsible for implementation of this policy. Except in emergency situations, for example following a major storm, no public tree is to be removed or heavily pruned without following the steps below:

PROCEDURES:

a. A resident who believes a tree on public land needs pruning or removal should bring the tree in question to the attention of the Borough Tree Commissioner.

b. The Tree Commissioner will inspect the tree and if necessary consult with an independent licensed arborist.

c. If the tree requires pruning, the Tree Commissioner will arrange to have the work performed by a licensed tree service.

d. If the Tree Commissioner concludes that the tree should be removed, she/he will place at least two signs on the trunk of the tree advising that the tree will be removed on or about a date no less than 14 days following the next scheduled monthly meeting of the Board of Warden & Burgesses. In addition the sign will state that the matter will be placed on the agenda of the next monthly Warden & Burgess meeting.

e. The proposed removal will be placed on the agenda of the next regular Warden & Burgess meeting. After any public comment is taken on the subject, the Board will vote on it.

f. If the Board of Warden & Burgesses votes to approve removing the proposed removal, the Tree Commissioner will make the necessary arrangements.

g. Within six months of removing a public tree the Board of Warden & Burgesses will publish in regular meeting minutes either a plan for replacing the tree or the reason(s) for not replacing it.

EMERGENCY SITUATIONS: Following a severe storm or other emergency, the Tree Commissioner and Borough Warden may take necessary actions regarding tree removal or heavy pruning without following the procedures listed above. If one or more public trees are removed during or immediately following an emergency, the Tree Commissioner will report on the losses at the next regular meeting of the Board of Warden & Burgesses, and those losses will be recorded in the meeting minutes.

LONG TERM MAINTENANCE: An inventory of all public trees will be performed approximately every ten years, beginning in 2008. The inventory will record the location, species, approximate height, and condition of all public trees six feet or greater in height. It will be used as the basis for developing, with the assistance of professional landscape designers, a comprehensive plan for improving and sustaining the Borough’s public trees.