Minutes
Tree Committee · from the Town's website · 2 pages · 195 KB
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Name of Public Body: Tree Committee Date and Time of Meeting: Wednesday February 4, 2026 @ 6 p.m. Location of Meeting: DPW Building, 100 Kennedy Drive, Winthrop AGENDA ● Call Meeting to order 6:05 ● Review and approve prior meetings minutes from October, unanimous approval ● Tree Warden Report - Our group of Winthrop residents have done a gofundme and raised $1800 which is wonderful particularly since the Emerald ash borer is killing our trees, all of our ash trees in Winthrop are dying as well Beech and Hemlock will be next. Will need to be removed and replaced, Tom explained this to the group at the Town Council meeting and had $1200 more donated so we are up to $3000. Money doesn’t grow on trees but Money grows trees, maybe our slogan. If 3A gets approved we can reapply for a one hundred thousand dollar grant. If not, we can not apply for any grants. ● Review and Discuss 2025/2026 Language for Update to Tree Ordinance Review ▪ Joeann shared a Town Ordinance that she emailed us all regarding the prohibition of removing trees on both public and private lands with a circumferunce of over six inches, will need needs a permit to remove the tree from the tree warden with many allowances for dying/diseased trees and unsafe trees, the draft is being modified and will be included in next months notes. ● Tree Maintenance, Plantings and Removals Tom plans on using the $3000 to buy 20 trees and to plant them by the school playing fields, there are no underground reasons for not planting. The Tree Warden has the right due to Chapter 87 that he can plant trees within ten feet of a public way. Per Joeann, The TIP project has agreed to plant 30 trees on Revere Street, she is going to follow up on that to make sure that it is still in the plan. Joeanne will check with the DPW and her email to make sure it is still happening. . ● New Fire station Project tree removal and replanting plan We are going to draft a letter to the Town Manager that there must be a hearing with the Tree Commission before trees can be removed so a plan can be made to preserve the town's canopy. Before trees can be removed per 87 section 3A there must be a hearing. We will have this Draft for the Town Manager ASAP. Tim will write a letter to the town council explaining the importance of replacing the memorial spruce that is being removed from the high school for the fire station so a new tree can be planted at the Cellucci Field. ● Tree Donation & Public Outreach ● Update on Discussion about Inventory with town GIS Drew has tried but received no response from the town council, he will resend his letter and include town manager and assistant manager. ● New Business tree limb on a Norway Maple on Bartlett that needs to come down, it is rotten Tim will send Tom pictures and a note. Meeting adjourned, next meeting to be held Wednesday March 4th 2026 at 6:00 pm This listing of matters is those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law.