During the latest Medford Township Council meeting, members received a tree ordinance draft from the Environmental Advisory Affairs Committee.
Officials have been talking about it for years. In fact, for the last 40 years, the town has been designated as a “Tree City USA,” but with no law to protect its trees.
“You would think in a town like Medford we would have a clear-cut design for a tree ordinance, but we don’t,” said EAAC liaison and zoning official Beth Portocalis.
The goal of the ordinance, according to Portocalis, is to curtail the act of clear-cutting trees before it happens.
Portocalis, the neighborhood services director and the township manager, all felt it would be best to create a new ordinance that is explicitly for trees, according to Portocalis.
The mayor, even in his own town, has seen some egregious acts of clear-cutting on properties. But what he doesn’t want to do is stop a homeowner from the simple act of cutting down a tree on his or her own property.
Moreover, he thinks that a tree ordinance is a good idea, but there are a few details that need to be “hashed out” between the council and the committee.
“What is the happy medium so that you can enact legislation that’s actually doable and enforceable?” asked Portocalis about the draft.
The committee has worked on the draft for about two years. Research of other towns’ tree ordinances have been compiled by members to get a better understanding of what surrounding townships have in place.
The next step is to create a subcommittee of the council to meet with the EAAC at one of its meeting dates, according to the council.
The council is planning to meet with the EAAC in August to discuss further steps.
The next EAAC meeting will be held on Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. at Cranberry Hall, located behind the Municipal Building at 17 N. Main St.
