Bay ordinance will preserve tree canopy

I am a lifelong resident of Bay Village. I write to express my deep concern about preserving the trees in Bay Village.

Trees are essential to the character of Bay Village. Beyond simple beauty, trees serve essential functions such as reducing air pollution, conserving water, and limiting noise pollution. Maintaining a robust tree canopy correlates with increases in residential property value by up to 15 percent. 

From 2011-2017, Bay lost 8.5% of its tree canopy, a rate higher than the county average. Some of this loss came from clearcutting for multi-unit home development, but much came from the loss of one or two trees at a time on individual lots. This rate of loss is unsustainable and must be reversed to maintain the beauty and health of our community.

Recently the Bay Village Tree Commission presented a tree protection ordinance to City Council addressing the rapid loss of trees in our community. This ordinance clarifies the best practices of tree maintenance, establishes reasonable restrictions on developers to prevent clearcutting of trees, and requires homeowners to apply for a permit before removing trees greater than 8 inches in diameter. This ordinance strikes the right balance between welcoming new commercial and residential development and protecting our trees. Passage of the ordinance will ensure our community’s continued beauty and our robust property values.

I urge all residents who wish to preserve our trees and the character of our community to contact and encourage Mayor Paul Koomar and City Council to swiftly pass the proposed tree protection ordinance. Make your voice heard: contact information for city leaders is online at cityofbayvillage.com. If you would rather call, the phone number for City Hall is 440-899-3415. 

Together, we can push Council and the Mayor to pass this commonsense ordinance to preserve the beauty of Bay Village for generations to come.

– Tim Doyle, Bay Village