Zelienople to investigate tree cutting by developers
Planned tree cutting in Zelienople sparked concern among property owners Thursday, July 18, with some people claiming that developers for the Glade Run development project violated an ordinance.
Jim Hulings, of Harmony, said the number of cut trees was likely “in the hundreds.”
“Tomorrow it’ll be a desert,” he said, noting that the cut trees were near people’s backyards.
Hulings said an ordinance was enacted around two years ago to protect residents’ property during Glade Run Development project. He said this ordinance was violated Thursday.
Development for the seven-phase project was approved last year.
“The future houses will be sitting lower than the existing ground, which means that we will be planting the trees on the top portion of the slope and closer to the affected properties,” an announcement reads on the borough’s website. “This should provide the maximum amount of buffering with the trees.”
Borough manager Andrew Spencer said the borough is aware of resident concerns, and is investigating whether tree cutting was done properly, and whether an ordinance was violated.
