Thursday, July 21, 2016

Growing In The Way Of Progress

Linden Tree will be removed for a sidewalk/crosswalk project

At the joint meeting of the Planning Board and Tree Warden last night all six trees scheduled for demolition received a stay of execution, but not because of any of their actions.

Because of Mass state law if one person files a letter of protest over a tree removal then the matter is automatically diverted to the Amherst Select Board our "keepers of the public way."  And by last night there were two such letters filed.

The Planning Board did vote anyway and unanimously approved removing the Linden tree in front of the Jones Library for placement of a sidewalk and all but one of the trees along the north border of Kendrick Park.


Three of these four on Kendrick Park will go to make room for a new roundablut

This entire island will be removed for new roundabout


But not without some badgering of DPW Chief Guilford Mooring concerning the roundabout approved to go in that location.

New PB member Michael Birtwhistle more than once demanded to know if the town has a funding source in place for the new roundabout, to which Mooring responded he honestly did not know.

The motion that passed unanimously (but cannot be carried out until Select Board decides) allowed for the removal of three of the four trees, but only after a funding source has been confirmed for the construction of the roundabout.


 A roundabout has been approved by Public Works Committee and Select Board

4 comments:

  1. What is the funding source for a million $+ roundabout? Why not just change the traffic light timing first like a consultant recommended.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Because that would require adding a left hand turn lane which would result in more trees being taken down.

    At the moment there is no funding source for the roundabout but there is money for the sidewalks (MassWorks state grant). And in order to put in the sidewalks the four trees on Kendrick Park have to be removed.

    ReplyDelete
  3. If we are so tree conscious why are we getting rid of plastic bags? Why is my plastics 5 or 6 times until they rip to shreds. Now we're going to paper agaiN. WE SHOULD put it on everything paper, plastic, save the trees, save the ducks and the landfills. God I hope the people that make these products plastic bags and paper bags are in another country so we're not putting any of our own workers out of work

    ReplyDelete
  4. Why not just move the Xwalk to the left or right of the tree? Let me guess, no can Do!
    Why, that's to simple a solution.

    ReplyDelete