Grand Island advisory board presses for clearer tree law language and an administrative enforcement path

The conservation advisory board examined a redlined draft of a local tree law on Feb. 26 and recommended clarifications aimed at preserving ecological benefits while allowing the town an administrative remedy for hazardous trees and abandoned properties.

A Lawmaker (speaker 1) summarized why the town sought an administrative, corrective process rather than criminal enforcement: the criminal-code approach requires personal service and a court process that is impractical when owners are unreachable. "We took that Cheektowaga law. I made it into a Grand Island law," the Lawmaker said, describing consultations with outside municipal attorneys and engineers to adapt an administrative remedy that would allow notices, posting and, if necessary, town-contracted remediation.

Members said the draft redline returned by the town attorney (identified in the discussion as Adrian Godfrey) appeared to insert an older version and language — including references to committee structure — that the board said they did not intend. The Chair and committee members asked for a cleaned-up draft before the next meeting so members could review a current version and provide informed comment.

Board members emphasized distinguishing hazardous trees (defined in the draft as those creating a clear safety risk to people, buildings, utilities or access) from nonhazardous dead or declining trees that can remain for ecological benefit. "Dead or declining trees that do not pose a safety risk for people, buildings, utilities . . . may be left in place for ecological benefit," a speaker summarized from language proposed in the draft.

Members discussed enforcement costs and who fronts remediation expenses. A committee estimate suggested the town could front modest remediation costs (one speaker estimated about $2,500 per year in a scenario where enforcement on a list of properties was required), with county processes potentially reimbursing some costs in certain cases.

Next steps: the board will circulate a cleaned-up redline and associated clarifications and continue to press for language that balances public safety, enforceability and ecological stewardship. Because the advisory board lacked a quorum, no vote was taken at this meeting.