Commission requires RDA and certified arborist report before approving removal of 12 trees

Homeowner Mark Doobie asked the Woburn Conservation Commission for permission to remove up to 12 trees at 3 Mentor Circle. Commissioners identified a conservation restriction covering the wetland portion of the property that generally prohibits cutting, removing or destroying vegetation in that area.

Commissioners said some trees may pose a safety risk to the house, but they also emphasized the need to know which trees fall inside the conservation restriction and which do not. Several commissioners recommended marking the trees on site so the commission can identify exactly which trees are proposed for removal versus trimming.

Given the wetland and the restriction language, the commission voted to require the applicant to file a Request for Determination of Applicability (RDA) and to submit a report from a Massachusetts‑certified arborist as an attachment to that filing. Commissioners agreed to schedule a site visit once the RDA and arborist report are submitted so the commission can confirm which trees may be removed for safety reasons and which must be retained.

No removals were authorized at the meeting; the commission conditioned further action on the RDA filing and the arborist documentation.