2021-05-12

Lunenburg neighbours take sides in tree dispute

One of two tall mature trees near Paul Kellogg's Lunenburg home came down in recent weeks and the property owner in charge of the fate of both says the one still standing is on the chopping block.

ABCO Industries Holdings is working to get driveway access leading in-and-out to a waterfront brewery situated near the public-right-of-way. The trees stand close to Tannery Road but are on ABCO property.

Workers cut the first tree, which stood about 18-metres high, on April 24. The second tree, which is of similar stature, is due to fall before the brewery's grand opening, Jason Huskilson, an ABCO director and food machinery group manager, told LighthouseNOW.

The brewery is operated by another company leasing ABCO's land. The trees-at-issue are also on ABCO property.

If not for a safety issue, Huskilson said, he would have left the trees alone. Huskilson suggested a curve in Tannery Road in the vicinity of the driveway could pose an issue for visiting motorists unfamiliar with the area. If town officials do not object, Huskilson is considering installing a mirror on the corner to make turns even safer.

"What I'm doing is widening the mouth of that [driveway] to give people the opportunity to ... safely see down the road and have lots of room" to navigate turns, Huskilson told LighthouseNOW during a telephone interview. To get the driveway where he wants it, the second tree next to the one already cut has to come down.

Kellogg disputes Huskilson's contention the trees contribute to a safety concern and must go. The trees are set back such that the brewery's driveway could be widened without anyone getting out a chainsaw.

"Development can go hand-in-hand with respecting the environment and working with it," Kellogg commented to LighthouseNOW in a phone interview.

Attempts to plead his case to Huskilson to retain the trees came up short. Kellogg did not hear back from town officials in his effort to see if there were any regulatory steps available to stop the cutting.

With options largely exhausted, Kellogg turned to LighthouseNOW to publicize the matter.

Kellogg takes no issue with the brewery development and its economic positives, but he believes Lunenburg needs better tree-retention rules and to shed a perception it gives developers more freedom at the expense of natural greenery.

"The town doesn't regulate tree removal on private property unless there's a concern they could impact public property, nearby pedestrians, vehicles, overhead utilities, that kind of thing," Matt Risser, Lunenburg's mayor, explained to LighthouseNOW by phone. "There's a town policy that deals with that, in terms of pruning and removing town trees."

The establishment of trees and urban forests are among town priorities.

"While we do encourage the planting and maintenance of trees throughout in the community, we don't prohibit their removal on private property," Risser said.

Meanwhile, Huskilson is not ruling out re-planting some types of trees at some point.

However, with an ABCO warehouse expansion taking place nearby, he cannot make an immediate commitment.

"I think it would be awesome to have some apple trees leading up" to the brewery, he said.