The Planning Board will be hearing from a lecturer they hope will provide insight to Town officials trying to resolve details around protecting public shade trees in Southborough. The public is invited to join them. Read the full article → from Urban Forest Management presentation – Monday (Updated)
On the principle of better late than never, I’m finally following up on the outcomes from the May 31st tree removal/appeal hearings. Read the full article → from Tree Hearing Outcomes
The Select Board covered a lot of items on Tuesday night. I’m rounding up a few readers may care about related to important staff positions in town. Read the full article → from Select Board personnel decisions: Police Chief recruitment, DPW agreements, and IT new hire (Updated)
Some residents are concerned about the potential for the Board to approve cutting down live public shade trees. Others are questioning whether the agreed upon process is being properly followed. Read the full article → from May 31st Tree removal hearing raises more questions (Updated)
Select Board members weren’t the only officials to request Town Meeting Article postponements, and or be outvoted on the motion. Meanwhile, two other Articles were indefinitely postponed at the request of voters. Read the full article → from Town Meeting votes to postpone Articles on trees, oversight, and election recalls, forces through removing Trails’ Associate Members (Updated)
It was a long night at Annual Town Meeting, but voters and officials worked together to get through the Warrant rather than continue to a third one. Read the full article → from Annual Town Meeting: Quick recap of final votes (Updated)
The Planning Board voted that a plan to change the intersection of the scenic Deerfoot and Flagg roads didn’t have enough merit to be worth sacrificing two live public shade trees. Read the full article → from Planning rejects tree removals at Flagg & Deerfoot intersection (plus an update on Tree bylaw Article)
The Planning Board has been seeking to improve the Town’s decision making process for removing Public Shade Trees. Since I last wrote about their discussions with the Select Board and Public Works, there have been some developments. Read the full article → from Tree Process Update: Reappointed Tree Warden; Interim Flow Chart; Articles status
On Monday, the Planning Board will hold public hearings on two proposed Articles related to preserving viable trees along Southborough roads. Read the full article → from Town continues to grapple with tree issues; Planning Board Article hearings open Monday (Updated)
At this week’s Board of Selectmen meeting, officials clarified that for a large portion of the Town, even clearly dead/hazardous trees/limbs can’t be trimmed/removed without a Planning Board Hearing. Read the full article → from Selectmen invite Planning Board to discuss Tree Removal Policy
Town officials are trying to come to agreement on new parameters for deciding which roadside trees should be removed with or without a public hearing. Read the full article → from DPW and Planning Board disagree over Shade Tree removal policy/bylaw
This letter to the editor from resident Al Hamilton seeks supports for efforts to save ash trees threatened by an invasive insect. Read the full article → from Letter: Can we save the “Constitution Ash”?
Two weeks ago, the Select Board fielded questions and criticisms on their plan to reroute St Marks Street and build a “Pocket Park” next to the Southborough Library. Read the full article → from Town to work with interested parties to flesh out “Pocket Park” details; St Marks St project continues (Updated)
On Tuesday, the Select Board will hold a hearing on nine trees Public Works is seeking to remove. They will also discuss a related project that has raised public concerns, including for the recent clearing of several other old growth trees. Read the full article → from Controversies over St Marks St/pocket park project, burial plot disturbance claims, and tree clearings (past and future)