By DAVE HAMRICK
Staff Writer

A proposed new law designed to save Fayette trees from developers' bulldozers needs the scrutiny of a committee of developers and county staff, say members of the Planning Commission.

The group plans to discuss the tree ordinance again at its work session Nov. 18, after getting direction from the county Board of Commissioners on the idea of appointing a study committee.

During this Thursday's meeting, 7 p.m. at the County Administrative Complex, the Board of Commissioners will discuss the committee idea.

Planning Commission member Fred Bowen said during last week's work session that the group also should consider coordinating its efforts with those of the Fayetteville government, which is considering a similar tree protection ordinance.

“I think it's very possible that the city and the county are looking at a tree ordinance at the same time,” he said.

Commissioners have been studying the county's tree preservation law for several months at the request of the County Commission. The 20-year-old ordinance requires that developers preserve or replace some trees on their developments, but the law provides no incentive to save existing, larger trees instead of replacing them with new, smaller ornamental trees.

The proposed law also would include residential developments in the law, and require a tree inventory and preservation plan for each planned project. Also, at least half of the trees saved would have to be outside any undisturbed buffer that's already required in each development.

Area developers attended a September public meeting to air their concerns that the proposed changes may render the ordinance too strict, and the Planning Commission agreed to put off action and seek the County Commission's guidance on giving the developers more input through a study committee.