Critique Leads To Adjustment In Tree Law

Within hours after the Falls Church News-Press hit the streets last Thursday with detailed coverage of Mike Curtin's critique of the new tree ordinance, a memo was issued from City Hall noting that a change to the ordinance will be required. At 3:13 p.m. last Thursday, the memo issued to members of Falls Church's Ad Hoc Committee on the Tree Ordinance noted that "a closer look" at the state code revealed that a developer has 20, not 10, years to develop a tree canopy over the required percentage of a newly-redeveloped residential property.

That was one point Curtin made in his critique. The City's memo said that since the change would be less, rather than more, restrictive, it could be included in a modification of the proposed ordinance without requiring a new first reading.

Therefore, the ordinance, with the included revision, will go before the F.C. Planning Commission this Tuesday and to the City Council for final approval on Sept. 13.