FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 19, 2021
MEDIA CONTACTS: Gordon Tepper, Rebecca Cheng, Matthew Leonenko and Michael Anderson | (516) 869-7794

Town Seeks Resident Input on Proposed Tree Policy and Tree-related Local Laws

North Hempstead, NY – Supervisor Judi Bosworth, Council Member Veronica Lurvey, and the Town Board have recently unveiled the latest round of updated draft tree policy and local law amendments pertaining to tree preservation and removal. These revised proposals, as well as the preliminary draft amendments that were released earlier this year, were crafted in large part based on resident input. The Town is again seeking comments from the North Hempstead community on the updated proposals.

“This has been a collaborative process, and we appreciate the continued input from our residents on this important topic,” said Supervisor Bosworth. “Our revised preliminary drafts were created based on research and discussions with civic representatives, residents, and Town departments. The Town understands how vital trees are to our environment and our neighborhoods, and we are continuing to incorporate resident feedback as we move towards finalizing our tree policy and code.”

Proposed amendments to the Town Code cover tree removal when done with an activity requiring a building permit, tree removal in the public right-of-way, and tree removal from the front yard of private property. Additional features in the proposal would establish a tree preservation fund and a tree advisory committee. The tree policy addresses sidewalk projects, a process for right-of-way tree removal by permit applications, guidelines for tree removal when tree roots infiltrate a house sewer connection, and tree replanting.

“We welcome all comments because our goal is to present a tree code and policies that work throughout the entire Town,” said Council Member Veronica Lurvey. “Thank you to thank all of the constituents who have reached out to me with their input and suggestions so far. Our trees are important on so many levels, and by adopting smart tree preservation policies today, we will be doing the right thing for future generations.”

The public hearing is scheduled for the Thursday, September 2, 2021 Town Board meeting.

To view the proposals, visit: www.northhempsteadny.gov/treepolicy. Comments related to the preliminary draft tree proposals can be emailed to: TreeCodeComments@northhempsteadny.gov for consideration and will not be made part of the formal record. Comments that will be made part of the formal record can be emailed to: comments@northhempsteadny.gov