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

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.

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

"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

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

Aug. 14, 2022Updated: Aug. 14, 2022 11:52a.m.

Authorities are investigating the death of a tree removal employee in Halfmoon.

HALFMOON Authorities are investigating the death of a tree removal employee in Halfmoon.

The Saratoga County Sheriff's Office provided no details about the fatality, including the location of the incident on Thursday or what company the person worked for, but confirmed that a 38-year-old male died.

Foul play doesnt appear to be a factor and the investigation is ongoing, police said in a release on Friday.

The identity of the employee is being withheld pending notification of the next of kin, deputies said.

Pete DeMola is a breaking news and current trends reporter. He also covers the city of Schenectady and its suburbs. He previously reported for the Daily Gazette and Sun Community News in the Adirondacks where he won multiple awards for his investigative reporting. DeMola also spent a half-decade in Beijing where he covered pop culture for several publications and social media companies. He also worked for a record label. He's a 2005 graduate of Syracuse University. You can reach him at pete.demola@timesunion.com.

See the original post here:
Deputies investigating death of tree removal worker in Halfmoon - Times Union

August 17, 2022

Groundbreaking for the regions largest urban ground solar array, located on Catholic Universitys West Campus, will start on Aug. 22.

The ground-mounted solar array, being installed on the west side of Harewood Rd., across from Leahy Hall, will greatly contribute to the Universitys commitment to environmental sustainability and make a significant contribution to the District of Columbias goal of 100% renewable energy by 2032 and carbon neutrality by 2050. Permitted tree removal will take up to four weeks, but will not affect heritage trees on the site or the existing Casey Trees tree nursery.

The solar array, which is being developed with Standard Solar, will save an estimated 7.115 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year. This is the equivalent of removing 1,547 cars from roads annually or eliminating the carbon dioxide emissions from nearly 800,630 gallons of gasoline, according to the EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator.

"The new solar installation reaffirms the Universitys renewable energy leadership. By caring for our common home, this new opportunity allows our neighbors to share clean energy benefits," said Alexandra Harry Nappier, director of campus sustainability for the University.

The University has arranged for many of the trees being removed to be salvaged by the District of Columbia's Urban Forestry Division. The logs will be milled into items such as benches and stump seating that then will be donated to local schools and parks. Wood byproducts will go to the University of the District of Columbias Center for Urban Agriculture and higher quality wood will be milled into lumber and donated to schools and nonprofits.

The University will use wood chips from the trees at the Community Garden behind Curley Hall and within the preserved forests on the west campus to help suppress invasive species and improve the habitat. Casey Trees will also use the chips for its Community Tree Planting program.

Harvesting and repurposing these trees locally lessens the waste and cost of disposal and helps reduce the city's reliance on lumber transported from elsewhere, reducing emissions and supporting our local communities, said Greg Osband, the Universitys program manager for landscape architecture.

The next step after tree removal is grading and installation of bioretention facilities for stormwater management. This will take place over three months this fall. Once the site is prepared, installation of the solar racks is scheduled to begin at the start of 2023. The array, which will be surrounded by a perimeter screen of trees and pollinator habitat plantings, is expected to open in late summer 2023.

The array is one of many initiatives focused on environmental stewardship. Also this year, the University, a certified Tree Campus for Higher Education, undertook a tree survey and is developing a plan for ongoing management of all trees on campus.

In September the University will submit its Laudato Si Action Plan to the Vatican. Catholic University was one of the first universities in the world to sign onto this Vatican initiative to encourage care for creation globally.

See the article here:
University Breaks Ground on West Campus Solar Array - Catholic University Communications

Montoursville, Pa. Work has officially started on the planned renovations for the TWA Flight 800 Memorial.

The Flight 800 Memorial was erected in 1999. It is meant to honor the 16 Montoursville High School Students and five chaperones that lost their lives on a trip to Paris in the 1996 crash which killed all 230 passengers.

Workers removing the hemlock trees from Flight 800 Memorial in Montoursville

The first step commenced on the morning of August 16 with the removal of hemlock trees, which Mayor Steven Bagwell said have become diseased.

They were removed by Dincher and Dincher at no cost to the memorial fund.

The hemlock's will be replaced byEmerald Green arborvitae.

This is just the first step, with more to come next month, according to Bagwell. A walkway, which Bagwell said has becoming a tripping hazard, will be removed.

Wood chipper at work.

The current brick walkway will be replaced by paving stones that Bagwell said are easier to maintain.

Overall donations have reached over $87,000 of the $125,000 for the planned initial renovations.

Bagwell said that this is enough to complete the renovations on the most glaring issues, but they still need more to do further beautification, like replacing the mulch witha pachysandra groundcover, and to setup an ongoing care fund.

"I feel very fortunate to be a part of this project,"Dale Ulmer, chair of the renovation committee, said. "The renovation committee has been making great progress. This progress is a reflection of the hardworking group of committee members."

Donations are only being accepted through check and can be sent to theMontoursville Area School District Memorial Fund at 50 N Arch St. Montoursville, PA.

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Diseased tree removal marks first renovation on Flight 800 Memorial - NorthcentralPa.com