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Preventing clear-cutting
(by Maggie Fazeli Fard - February 28, 2008)
Councilman Martin Kent presented a proposed tree ordinance to the mayor and council on Tuesday, Feb. 26.
The goal of the ordinance is “to stabilize radical removal of trees on residential property,” also known as clear-cutting, said Kent, who has served on the tree ordinance subcommittee since it was formed by former Mayor George “Barry” Zeller.
The question, added , is “What can you really implement that will be enforceable?”
The proposed ordinance deals primarily with cutting, describing what trees can be cut, permits to cut trees, and fines for violating the cutting regulations.
What is missing from the proposed ordinance, however, is what Mayor Roger Fyfe referred to as “tree retention.”
“Something’s missing philosophically,” Fyfe said, pointing out that there is no mention of felled trees being replaced.
Fyfe suggested adding language about tree replacement, a suggestion that Wolfgang Vogt, the chairman of the environmental commission, echoed before rejecting the ordinance in its entirety, claiming that it doesn’t address what he sees as the main problem: enforcement of existing rules.
“Why do we want a tree ordinance?” he asked rhetorically. “We want to stop clear-cutting. There are ordinances in place for that.” Vogt said that there are state and county laws prohibiting clear-cutting.
Borough Engineer Andrew Hipolit agreed but added that the problem is not unique to Montvale. “The biggest problem with tree ordinances is enforcement,” he said. “Most towns don’t put the dollars there.”
Fyfe reconfigured the tree ordinance subcommittee, adding to ’s team Councilwoman Leah LaMonica, Borough Attorney Philip Boggia, and Zoning and Property Maintenance Official Don Boman while keeping Bob Hanrahan, an environmental commission member, on board.
He also asked Vogt to contribute to revisions of the tree ordinance by attending subcommittee meetings or submitting his recommendations in writing.
Maggie Fazeli Fard's e-mail address is fazelifard@northjersey.com.
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