City mulls ways to curb tree clearing
Conroe city leaders last fall returned to a stricter tree preservation ordinance for developers after residents complained of pervasive clear-cutting, even adding amendments that tightened requirements even further.
The updated ordinance, however, allowed those developments already approved to continue, and now city leaders are trying to figure out how to discourage tree clearing, possibly by offering incentives for those developers.
After continued concern from residents, the council agreed in May 2022 to return the ordinance to its pre-2018 version followed by several amendments to the ordinance in August that tighten tree requirements for developers further.
During the council’s Feb. 8 workshop, Councilman Harry Hardman said it is critical to revisit the issue since returning the ordinance to its stricter version grandfathered in some projects already approved by the city but not yet under construction.
“The cat’s out of the bag,” Hardman said of the projects under construction, specifically several multifamily developments on Longmire Road. “But we need to do what we can to mitigate (the clear-cutting).”
Mayor Pro Tem Curt Maddux asked City Engineer Chris Bogert to bring the council a list of projects approved under the 2018 ordinance.
“Maybe that would help us make a decision,” Maddux said.
Bogert said finding incentives could be difficult.
“Part of my issue is most of these (projects) are approved, so things like expediting permits or minimizing permit fees weren’t as feasible for them,” he said.
Bogert added another challenge to finding incentives is the financial impact on developers to make changes to a project that is already designed project.
“I am open for discussion to keep pursuing other (options),” Bogert said.
“Keep brainstorming, keep digging,” Councilman Howard Wood said. “There’s got to be something we can do to entice (developers).”
The council will revisit the issue at a future meeting.