Landscape regulations remain a priority to town planners
SMITHFIELD – A tree’s foliage is important, town leaders say. Businesses in the Town of Smithfield could be fined monetarily if they over-prune their landscape trees. In a unanimous vote, the Smithfield Town Council approved an amendment to their Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) to “prohibit severe pruning of required landscape trees.”
New developments are required to install trees and shrubs as part of the permitting and approval process. Planning Director Stephen Wensman said he recently noticed a lot of “heavy pruning” of trees at existing businesses. This year in particular, Wensman says some businesses are pruning trees back shorter than shrubs, contrary to the intent of landscaping regulations.
Wensman said crepe myrtles have been an issue. Businesses, or their landscapers, have mostly topped crepe myrtle trees and not pollarded the tree, preventing weakening and less wood decay. He says pollarding is an acceptable form of pruning.
“Obviously, this will be a difficult transition,” Planning Director Wensman told the town council prior to the vote.
The Planning Board recently recommended approval of the zoning amendment, saying the update was “reasonable and in the public interest.” During a May 2 public hearing, Lanny Thomas of Swift Creek Nursery spoke in favor of the new pruning rules.
The newly adopted ordinance, now prohibits severe pruning such as topping. The Planning Director and his staff plan to speak with business owners who have over-pruned their trees alerting them to the new ordinance guidelines for correct and legal tree pruning.
Those found in violation, however, may be subject to a civil fine.
“All zoning violations may be subject to a fine of $50/day. Given cut trees cannot be uncut, they may have to be replaced with trees meeting Code. In general, we do our best to work with all property owners to avoid fines if they are willing to come into compliance with Code,” Mr. Wensman said.
“The ordinance was just approved by the Town Council, and I have not witnessed any topping of trees since the ordinance was approved. We have been informing business owners as much as possible of the change so that they change their landscape management practices prior to next winter/spring when such practices typically take place,” Wensman added.
The over-pruning ordinance only applies to businesses and not residential properties in Smithfield.
Another Ludacris action by the town council
What? The problem seems to be requiring trees in the first place. Obvs these businesses see them as an eyeroll inducing burden and are doing the bare minimum to comply
This certainly does NOT promote new business growth.
Really???? There’s nothing else that needs council attention other than how a tree is trimmed??? Yeah, it’s time to clean house and start over. Such a waste of time and energy!
BWW…you are right about that! And wasting taxpayer money. SMH
Seems to me that the landscapers would know more than the town council when it comes to how much a tree needs pruning.
Most of the “landscapers” around here have absolutely no clue what they are doing. They jumped into the business because of the booming growth of businesses and housing and hired a few workers that barely know which end of a shovel to use. Take a look around some of Rebecca Flowers’ new areas. They are mass planting things that have no room to grow because they don’t know anything about the growth habits of what they snatch up at the wholesale nurseries. The town council probably knows just as much as them.
Too intrusive, why not you Smithfield government plant and maintain said trees and shrubbery. Is there citizens advisory board? To balance these decisions.
Nothing else better to…Let’s fine for overpruning…Sheesh
Can you say “government overreach”? Sheesh…
The Town of Smithfield barely has a police department anymore and the council’s focus is over-pruned trees?
How about the public streets! Potholes so big you could plant a tree.
This tree deal is a bunch of phooey! Another way Mike Scott can keep his control over Smithfield. He is the reason that there is almost no police department left.
They will soon be telling you that if you over prune YOUR trees in YOUR yard, you will be fined! They need to find better things to worry about.
How are they going to charge the business that owns the land when its the landscaping companies that are doing it? Seems hard to charge someone for something they didn’t do. Which there are some places trees and shrubs need pruned back so you can see the road better.
I, for one, do not think trees or shrubs should be in parking lots or near streets so much so because they interfere with the ability to see around them. Like in the Lowe’s parking lot, when the shrubs are not cut back, it’s almost impossible to see if another car is coming. It’s dangerous and unnecessary for them to be there. Just get rid of them and this whole issue would be null and void. Just my humble opinion.
It’s past time for a second revolution. I have room for a internment camp for politicians.
Town of Smithfield is so worried about the existing businesses looking nice, but look at the junk going towards west Smithfield in between the river and the stoplight at McDonald’s. Old buildings than need tearing down, junky old single wide trailers, run-down car lots.That’s where the concern’s needs to be other than just a walking path going in out there. That’s just a breeding ground for bums and folks up to no good to get back and forth to Smithfield more easily.
Will simply result in the removal of the trees entirely. Cobra effect!
In my Allen Iverson voice (tree pruning, tree pruning, we talking about tree pruning) There are more important issues. Seems like the Police Department only has one or two officers, and I see new faces every week. Town safety is definitely not a priority, but the trees look great though.