GREENFIELD — More than 30 residents attended a tree hearing Friday afternoon to voice concerns about the requested removal of five trees near the Garden Cinemas on Main Street.
Tree Warden Paul Newell received 86 objections by email to go along with public comments made at the meeting, which was held at the John Zon Community Center, and any handwritten objections he was given. Newell said the final decision on whether to remove the trees will be made by Mayor Roxann Wedegartner and he will present her with the public comments next week.
Garden Cinemas owner Isaac Mass, who requested the trees be removed, gave a presentation to clarify his reasoning. He said the trees block the theater’s marquee and removing them would help the city follow through with recommendations made by consulting firm FinePoint Associates at a March presentation. Some recommendations included more public art installations and better wayfinding markers.
“You can’t see any of the marquee,” Mass said. “You need to appeal to the drivers so that they will stop and shop.”
Mass said public art or topiaries are an alternative to the trees and would not block the marquee.
He emphasized his request only applies to those five trees in front of the theater and he will foot the bill for any replacement trees planted. He said he would like to see the trees replanted elsewhere, such as the Greenfield Common, but Newell said it is not viable to replant mature trees that have been there for 20 years.
Mass added that removing the trees would be part of the process of the theater redesigning its marquee and turning it into a digital display. He said this display could also be used by the city for emergency purposes, such as to alert the public of water main breaks that have been frequent as of late. This is an expensive process and he does not see it going forward if the trees remain.
“We can’t invest that amount of money if no one can see those screens,” Mass said. “That is ultimately the issue, that’s why we’re asking at this time.”
Public comment at the meeting was overwhelmingly against the proposal.
Mary Chicoine, a member of Greenfield’s Tree Committee, said allowing a business to push this proposal through would set a bad example for the city.
“To allow this to go forward would be a horrible precedent,” Chicoine said. “I think for any business owner to have the expectation that their signage is going to be visible from every angle, then let’s just cut all the trees down.”
Fellow Tree Committee member Margo Jones said Greenfield has made progress in growing trees, and cutting these down would erase that progress along with any financial benefits that come with it.
“We are proud to say that downtown has a pretty healthy inventory of growing trees and we’re very pleased with that,” Jones said. “It would be a giant step backwards to take a big bite out of that general coverage and overall effect that trees have as you drive into downtown. … Economic success and benefits come from a well-treed community.”
Resident Audrey Farnun said she frequently walks past the Main Street movie theater and the trees make it more welcoming.
“I go down this street all the time,” Farnun said. “It feels cooler and more comfortable. … Trees help.”
Fellow resident Lynn Waldron argued that FinePoint Associates’ study suggested adding more trees downtown.
“When FinePoint did their study, one of the things they said was ‘more trees,’” Waldron said. “So, to me, it just seems crazy to be cutting down mature trees.”
Likewise, resident Amie Hyson said removing perfectly healthy trees makes no sense. Trees, she said, add beauty to the city.
“We used to have big, beautiful, gorgeous trees all up and down Main Street and they have since been cut down because of disease,” Hyson said. “To take down these trees that already have 20 years of growth and plant new trees … these trees need a chance to grow so we can have that beauty in downtown Greenfield again.”
Mass said he was not surprised by the negative reaction to the proposal and he gave the presentation to better inform residents about why he has requested to remove the trees. He reemphasized he would be paying for any work to be done and “altruism” is one of his motivations because exterior improvements could help revitalize downtown.
“I’m sympathetic to people’s views and passions about trees,” Mass said after the meeting. “If approved, we’re going to pay for it.”
Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or
413-930-4081.