By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
While announcements of new construction and development projects have generally been causes for celebration across Whitewater, there are a few issues that have brought forward concerns along the way.
Landscaping — or lack there of — is one of those concerns. Another concern: decades-old trees that might wind up giving way to new development.
To help sort through some of the past concerns that have cropped up, city officials are considering a revised set of guidelines that would remove some of the past ambiguity surrounding landscaping. City officials last reviewed their landscaping guidelines in 2010.
Members of the city’s Parks, Recreation and Forestry Commission discussed the proposed guidelines with City Forester Chuck Nass at a meeting Jan. 11. Nass also will hash over the details with another appointed body — the Urban Forestry Commission — in the near future.
Nass discussed with the commission some of the reasons landscaping is important, and it extends beyond beautification itself. He pointed out it is a key part of other functions, including stormwater management, as well.
From his perspective, Nass said there are some specific issues that caused concern in recent years, including where specifically trees are placed along street frontage. Stormwater-related issues also have been a concern, Nass said.
Nass asked commissioners to crack down on street frontage, including a provision requiring one deciduous tree be planted for every 35-foot stretch of pavement along a roadway. Commissioners also discussed heightening enforcement of a policy calling for one deciduous tree and other accompanying landscaping for each 1,500 square feet of paved area.
“If we make the biggest effort we can (with enforcing landscaping) … it will help with the surrounding area and help with controlling stormwater,” Nass said.
The Plan and Architectural Commission is one of several channels that review new development details. Nass suggested commissioners go over a checklist of different components within a landscaping plan, including specific locations, species and sizes at the time of planting.
With Nass’ guidance, the city also could be asking for the size and maturity of all proposed landscape plants.
Also in the guidelines: a provision asking developers to inventory all existing plantings at a site and documenting which plantings are expected to remain in place once construction is completed.
While the city customarily discusses landscaping-related issues any time a developer comes before planning officials, this particular component of the planning process sometimes gets buried in the pile of other issues that need to be reviewed.
During last week’s discussion, City Planner Chris Munz-Pritchard acknowledged engineering and other technically specific issues tend to receive the greatest amount of scrutiny.
“Landscaping has tended to be last on the list,” Munz-Pritchard said. “I think we as a board have to be more focused on that.”
While plantings were the focal point of the recent discussion, Nass said it is important to also encourage efforts to ensure landscaping is looked after once it is planted.
“When it’s not maintained and taken care of over a period of time — it just looks bad,” Nass said.
Commissioners could take action on the revised landscaping guidelines in the months ahead.
