The Village of Flower Hill Board of Trustees held its last meeting for the summer, discussing various plans for future meetings, including the village’s policies on tree removal and plant overgrowth.
The board discussed a potential amendment to its code regarding tree remediation requirements, whereby in the event a resident is unable to replace a tree that has been taken down, they can donate $500 to the village’s green fund instead.
Following the initial fees for tree removal, residents currently must pay a $1,000 bond that ensures they will replace the removed tree, with the money being returned after six months. However, the board discussed circumstances where replacing trees that were removed could not be viable due to situations like there not being enough space for new trees. The $500 donated will go towards a new tree being planted elsewhere in the village, such as a park.
“The goal is not to incentivize people not to plant; there are times where people cannot plant,” said Mayor Randall Rosenbaum. “We can recoup part of those trees in a beautification fund, where we can either revise the street tree program, we can plant on our islands, we can plant in the park.”
The board will hold the vote on its tree remediation code in a public hearing during its Sept. 8 meeting, which if passed would allow either the building inspector or the village administrator to decide in a case-by-case scenario if the $500 donation can be chosen if it is deemed not viable to replace a taken-down tree.
The board also discussed potential new policies regarding shrubbery and vegetation overgrowth in the village. Marla Wolfson, the village administrator, mentioned several residents have complained about the overgrowth of plants blocking the line of sight in parts of the village, with an area of concern being especially on corners.
Wolfson discussed with the board how enforcing the trimming down and pushing back of plants has caused some pushback, with some plants having been planted before the current residents took ownership of the property. Wolfson proposed that the board take action to enact more specific policies regarding what plants could be planted, how they are planted, and more specific requirements for plant height, especially on corner lots.
“Some of the intersections are just impossible,” said Peter Albinski, the village building superintendent who will be drafting this new policy. “I know we have the history of some of the properties that go back many years this way, but I think we have to think that safety prevails.”
The village already has a code that enforces the trimming of vegetation to maintain a clear line of sight, as determined by the superintendent of the Building Department; however, policy will elaborate on this code, giving “more specifics,” as Albinski described.
Following those discussions, the topic transitioned to pensions for the Roslyn firefighters, which could see a potential increase. Mayor Rosenbaum mentioned the possibility of requesting a representative from the Roslyn fire department to come to the next board meeting to answer questions regarding pensions.
The mayor mentioned that the reason behind this potential change to the pension plan is that the department is looking to increase retention and to help recruit new firefighters, with this being seen as the most effective way to do so.
“People who run into a burning building for 30 years don’t get paid; they should be,” said Deputy Mayor Frank Genese. “Not everybody wants to volunteer to do this; it takes a certain person. So at least you have something to look forward to. It’s not a lot of money, but it’s a little something, and they should be getting a better pension.”
The next meeting will be held on Sept. 8, with these topics set to return for vote and discussion.
