Home > Talk of East Texas > Archives > 2008 > May > 14 > Entry
Landscape Task Force
The Landscape Task Force wants to hack the clear-cutting that flattened trees in two Northeast Longview properties.
On Tuesday, task force members asked Longview Senior Planner Michael Shirley to draw up an ordinance clause to require developers and builders to save 50 percent of trees that are 5 inches or larger in diameter. Members also want property owners with no specific building plans to pay hefty clear-cut permit fees, and require loggers to obtain permits for trees harvested commercially from lots that are not agriculturally zoned.
What do you think about the request?
Comments
By O. Nix
May 17, 2008 6:57 PM | Link to this
Take a look at Kingwood, Tx. Trees everywhere and buildings tucked in to make a very pleasant and “green” city. And then there is Longview’s “landscape” or lack of. I say leave some trees and require a “green belt” between the streets, roads, drives and buildings. http://www.potpourriemporium.com
By DM
May 14, 2008 10:53 PM | Link to this
It’s amazing that the property owner is mad that the buffer provided by someone elses property was removed. Had he liked that buffer so much, I assume he would have had the right to purchase the property to preserve the enjoyment he has from another’s land. Plant trees on your own property. Better yet, offer to purchase the trees and have them moved to your property. I’m not saying destroy all of the trees, but please use common sense in this pending ordinance change. Quit creating requirements burdening the property (tax payors) owners and realize that most of the city employees are overhead. Let’s not create more. Provide services, not problems.
By Lee Lester
May 14, 2008 9:24 PM | Link to this
I strongly disagree with my councilman. We have hamstrung the builders and developers in Longview enough. Most people who build on a lot in Longview want trees, but maybe not where they are now. How is one suppose to get their trees to grow where they want them if the are having to leave trees they do not want? I beg Mr. Bolster to reconsider his position on this matter. I would love to discuss it with him.
By JT
May 14, 2008 4:17 PM | Link to this
Yes it would have been nice for the trees to stay, but would you be willing to accept the legal liability if one of the trees fell on a passing vehicle or one of the nearby houses? There were many dead & dieing trees close to the road. There were serveral times I wondered how many cars were struck by the fallen branches I would see on the side of the road in passing the area. Maybe the owner was advised by an attorney to lessen their liability to just clear cut it for safety reasons.
By SAM
May 14, 2008 3:17 PM | Link to this
I have to disagree with this. If it is your property that you have paid for then you have the right to cut your trees down if you choose to. I have lived in communities where you have supposed associations that protect the neighborhood and property values and most do not work. This is basically what the city is trying to impose. If I buy land and it has value ie; trees and I want to cash in that value than that is my right. The city needs to take care of all of the crime in the city and the terrible neighborhoods and get rid of illegal immigrants and all of the other problems and not worry about mundane things like what I do with my property.
By J. Farmer
May 14, 2008 2:15 PM | Link to this
I also would take a look at how close that Developers and Landscapers are planting trees in procimity to the overhead power lines. The utility company spends millions of dollars each year to try and trim trees away from their utility lines in order to distribute safe and reliable electric service to to their customer’s.
It is my understanding that if the public would contact their electric provider, they would be more than happy to give them a booklet as of what and where to plant several spieces of trees in procimity to the overhead power lines.
JF
By MP
May 14, 2008 1:58 PM | Link to this
I agree with Michael. The ordinace is way overdo. One reason we bought a house in the neighborhood we did was the number of big, beautliful trees. Since we moved here in 1992 most all the pines ane large hardwoods haved been cut down. Not only is the neighborhood getting ugly, there is too much sunlight during the day and it is much noisier. What happened on Pegues Place is disgraceful. Also, several years ago the trees were removed from several parcaels of land around McCann between H.G. Mosely and Loop 281. Instead of nice trees we have to look at garbage dumps. The proposed tree removal fees should be even higher.
By Michael Pittmon
May 14, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this
The task force is definitely on the right track. This type of ordinance is long overdue for Longview. The Pegues Place incident was a terrible loss to that neighborhood’s natural beauty but maybe we can use it spur action that will prevent other losses.