Re “W(h)atts Happening: Energy and Climate Update,” I applaud these efforts to make Lexington greener. But why do our Town Manager, Director of Public Works and Tree Warden fail to save large trees across Town by not properly enforcing our tree by-law?

Case in point: in September 2023, I alerted these three senior members of Town staff that Tree Removal permit TREE-23-41 issued on July 6, 2023 to the applicant, Finnegan Development, at 25 Munroe Rd was wrong (see https://lexingtonma.viewpointcloud.com/records/78309): it cites the number of DBH (“diameter at breast height”) inches of protected (as defined by our tree by-law) trees removed at that site as zero, when the applicant removed 55 inches DBH of protected trees — a 34-inch oak, a 15-inch maple and a 6-inch “tree” per the applicant’s plot plan.

If the applicant does not replant trees on its own site, the tree by-law requires that it pay $31,400 as “mitigation” to the Town, so the Town can replant trees elsewhere using those funds.

Tree Removal permit TREE 23-41 has still not been corrected: it still shows zero inches DBH of protected trees removed. Given that, how can the Building Commissioner withhold the Certificate of Occupancy at 25 Munroe Rd until the applicant has replanted and/or paid the mitigation fee due?

Lexington’s objective is to be “climate resilient,” so it’s time for our Town Manager, Director of Public Works and Tree Warden to take their job of enforcing the tree by-law seriously.

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