Committee recommends permission for homeowner to remove street tree at his expense

Committee votes 4–1 to recommend resident-funded removal of a healthy right‑of‑way tree at 9 Evergreen Avenue after staff said the tree posed no imminent safety hazard. Don Lucey, the city’s public works director, told the Municipal Services, Facilities, and Infrastructure Committee the tree is on public property and that city code requires council permission to remove it.

The decision matters because the tree stands in the city right‑of‑way; the city maintains any replacement tree. Lucey said staff would only remove a tree without council permission when it is an imminent hazard, and that is not the case for this specimen.

Lucey told the committee: “This tree is clearly in good health. It's not a disease tree. There's no indication that it's an imminent hazard.” He said staff had advised the requester, Howard Mudge, that council permission would be required and that the petitioner would be responsible for removal costs if approved. Lucey added that a conditional approval could require the planting of a replacement street tree and that the city would maintain the replacement because it would remain a city tree.

Committee members discussed stump removal method and the age and size of the tree. One member asked whether stump grinding to below grade would be required; Lucey said standard practice is to cut the stump flush with the ground using a grinder but that grinding below grade is not always performed. Members also noted concerns raised earlier about proximity to utility lines; Lucey said Eversource arborists handle trees that threaten utilities and that Eversource had not flagged this tree.

A motion to recommend granting Howard Mudge’s request to remove the tree at 9 Evergreen Avenue at Mr. Mudge’s expense, conditional on planting a replacement street tree to be maintained by the city, was made, seconded and approved 4–1. The committee discussion included a request from some members that, in practice, the stump be ground below grade, but the motion as recorded required only that the replacement tree be planted and that costs be borne by the requester.

The committee’s recommendation will be forwarded to city council for final action; staff said they would coordinate selection and planting of the replacement tree if council approves the sale and will confirm removal/stump procedures with the petitioner.