Councilwoman Walsh Files Bill to Protect Trees in the Old Ellicott City Watershed
Ellicott City, MD (September 15, 2022) – At last week’s legislative session, Councilwoman Liz Walsh introduced Council Bill 54-2022 to eliminate waivers that allow for the removal of the biggest, oldest trees in the Tiber Branch Watershed. In addition, this bill would prevent developers from “banking” removed trees outside of developments in the watershed.
In 2016, the Lacey property was one of many developments that filed a waiver to remove highest-conservation-priority “specimen trees” off Church Road in old Ellicott City. Long Gate Overlook banked 1.82 acres of forest on two separate properties outside the old Ellicott City watershed. And, in January 2020, the Taylor Service Company cut down 72 trees at their proposed Taylor Highlands development without authorization from the Department of Planning & Zoning.
“Our D1 office has seen developers submit plan after plan the last several years that reduce the number of trees in our district,” said Councilwoman Liz Walsh. “This legislation is directly targeted at preventing development projects from destroying the few natural flood mitigation protections we have left.”
This legislation was modeled after Council Bill 60-2016, legislation sponsored by former Councilman Jon Weinstein and current County Executive Calvin Ball after the 2016 flood in old Ellicott City. That legislation established a new section in County code that prevents waivers for steep slopes, wetlands, streams, and floodplains for developers building in the Tiber Branch Watershed. This bill would add forest conservation to that section.
Testimony for these bills will be accepted at the legislative public hearing on Monday, September 19, 2022.
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