West Annapolis developers give a new tree plan
Would preserve one of two mature oaks set to be axed
Developers of a planned West Annapolis redevelopment have proposed redrawing their plans to preserve one of two mature oak trees in danger of being cut down.
The group of property owners and two firms involved in the project suggested they could move back a proposed mixed commercial and residential building at 101-103 Annapolis Street by about 11 feet to make room for a large chestnut oak tree thought to be at least 80 years old. A second tree, a pin oak of similar age, would still be removed, according to the plans the group presented Thursday evening during a Planning Commission hearing.
“We have been working on this project with Planning and Zoning staff for months, andwe really didn’t hear anything about the trees from the community or anyone else, but things change,” Leo Wilson, principal of Hammond Wilson Architects, said during Thursday’s meeting. “After a long hard look, we said, ‘Well, maybe we can move this building back, and maybe we can reconfigure the parking lot.’”
Some residents have praised the impending development as a chance to revitalize the area. While others, including a city alderman, argued the trees should be saved to protect the tree canopy and preserve the environmental benefits they bring.
Alderman Rob Savidge, D-Ward 7, testified before the commission that the building should be moved back to save both trees. He called the proposed changes “big wins.”
“I’m happy that P&Z staff and the applicant took all of our comments to heart and worked their magic to come up with this compromise plan,” Savidge said. “This is howthe process should work.”
The Planning Commission has not yet voted on the project. The hearing was continued until January to allow the developers more time to work out the details of the new proposal.
“We were presented with what appears to be a very collaborative effort on the part of the applicant and the city staff, and I really look forward to seeing it in its final manifestation,” said Bob Waldman, Planning Commission vice-chair.
The developers’ plans also include shrinking a parking lot and planting other trees on the site, including willow oaks along Giddings Avenue and larger American yellowwoods along Annapolis Street. The outdoor seating area would be built on decking rather than concrete to allow rainwater to reach the tree roots.
Two separate assessments were completed on the oaks by a private arborist and the city arborist. Both experts found that construction could impact the trees’ health and shorten their life span. Brian Adams, the city arborist, suggested at the Dec. 3 Planning Commission hearing that the chestnut oak could be preserved if the building was moved. The private arborist suggested both trees be removed.
The trees provide not only shade but also serve as markers of natural and cultural history in the neighborhood, said Ginny Vroblesky, chair of the West Annapolis Heritage Partnership, who wrote a letter to the editor in The Capital this week urging the developer to save the chestnut oak.
“My interest was not just in saving the tree but in hoping that there would be a vision for the rest of the street because we have lost a lot of trees in that particular area,” she said. “And it would be an opportunity to really increase the diversity of the kinds of trees that are there by planting other native species.”