Note to developers: Leave the trees

City officials shut down building project after heritage trees are chopped down

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trees, Douglas Development

By Charles Sowell

APRIL 4, 2010 7:07 p.m. Comments (1)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Greenville city officials have issued an indefinite stop work order for a low-income housing project located just off Wade Hampton Avenue because the developer cleared five heritage trees that were supposed to be protected under the site development plan.

Residents of the Brookside neighborhood have vigorously battled plans by Aynor-based Douglas Development for a three-story low income development to be known as Brookside Gardens.

The development was allowed by the city under the condition that the large trees on the site would remain untouched to help screen the height of the buildings.

When five of the trees at the intersection of Brookside Circle and Gilfilling Road were removed earlier this week residents besieged City Hall with complaints.

City Manager Jim Bourey said the stop work order will remain in place until appropriate measures are taken by the developer and a new plan is approved.

Ron McKinney, city attorney, said the city takes the violation of the conditional use permit seriously and will vigorously pursue satisfactory remedies.

Just what those remedies might be is a matter of some question since the trees were towering mature plants. When the Bi-Lo Center removed trees on their property for an outdoor concert last year the city required them to replant since the trees were required under the center’s site plan with the city.

Amy Ryberg Doyle, who represents the area on city council said the response to cutting the trees has been appropriate.

“Those trees were a big part of the overall plan for the development,” she said. “Cutting the trees put the developer in violation of the city’s zoning code and that carries some pretty severe penalties.”

She said the project is probably still viable, although three story tall buildings might not be workable now.

Brian Woods, the city’s zoning administrator said in a letter to David Douglas, the developer, “Since the location and size of the trees were a fundamental basis for my determination that the proposal would meet provisions… their removal by your contractor removed the basis for approval and compliance of the project. The massing of the structure must be rectified in order for the project to proceed.”