At the November Village of Washingtonville Comprehensive Plan Committee, attendees invited Ryne Kitzrow and Jean Galli to share the Town of Blooming Grove's Conservation Advisory Committee's 2023 research , and a related draft for some possible new future environmental regulations regarding tree protection, open space priorities and prevention of avian loss during migration season. He said he wanted it to be clear to readers that at this stage it is still "information sharing" with intent that the Village has the same inforrmation they have on which to base future decisions.The Village may also have some different priorities due to its more consolidated shopping area, but most of the concerns the CAC investigated, and examples of research and regulations they found in other communities in our area are of interest and value to the Village as well.
There were 3 primary areas of research that could become part of new code regulations that would 1. Protect the area's Trees, 2. Identify specific iconic Open Space sites deemed to be particularly important to preserve as markers of the community's identity, and 3. Recommend some night sky and reflection modifying techniques that could help prevent the thousands of bird deaths during their 2 migration seasons.
Jean Galli has been busy working on plans for deveoping Sewell Park. Yesterday (December 9th) she told the Courier that the FEMA report is done, and the design for the Park, which will be mostly horticultural, (but with a stone base in one area for some Spring and Summer concerts) is also essentially complete.
Kitzrow spoke at length about the many aspects of tree preservation to be considered - size, variety, age and location are all relevant to consider as well as overall preservation for the community's healthy ecology. Given the extent of details (and even a Tree Bank option) there are many approaches. For instance, at any new development there can be code to follow (such as girth and variety of trees that should remain), health of trees considered for removal, protection of root stuccture and impact on view. But there can be additional oversight of landscaping by the Planning Board and one of the key tools referred to could be a Tree Bank, such that if a developer can't plant or replant for damaged trees at the site they are working on, they may have the option to provide trees to be planted elsewhere, or the money for the municipality to decide where new trees would be most useful.
Have a listen: to the following clips from the presentation. They are divided into several parts due to the memory load.
Part I and II