After a year of mostly ignoring the pandemic, Aberdeen mayor Travis Schaunaman is back to fighting the real plague threatening the Hub City’s businesses: trees. Last night’s city council agenda included revisions to the city’s landscaping ordinances designed to allow businesses to keep green in their pockets and out of their parking lots:
According to the current ordinance, new landscaping is required for projects that add more than 1,000 square feet to a building or cost more than $100,000.
The proposed changes increase the size and cost to 2,500 square feet or $200,000, respectively.
The proposed changes also adjust the maximum cost of the landscaping. According to the current ordinance, landscaping cost are limited to no more than 10% of the total project cost.
Included in the proposed changes, however, is a second limit — 10% or $100,000, whichever is less.
IslandsThe landscape ordinance continues to require islands for trees and shrubs, but a provision is included that allows for a reduction of the number of islands in exchange for approved perimeter trees on the property. According to the proposed ordinance, the perimeter trees must be approved by the forestry committee prior to approval of the building permit.
A new section is also proposed with respect to landscape islands in parking lots within industrial districts. The number of islands could be reduced to accommodate routine operations involving the movement of large vehicles, equipment, materials and inventory.
The reduction in islands is allowed with the addition of perimeter trees approved by the forestry committee [Elisa Sand, “{paywall} City to Consider Changes to Landscape Ordinance,” Aberdeen American News, 2021.04.04].
Mayor Schaunaman has been griping since before he came into office about the scourge of trees on Aberdeen’s landscape… because nothing shouts “Welcome, Progress!” more loudly than vast swaths of uninterrupted asphalt.
Mayor Schaunaman muttered a lot about “job creators” during last night’s meeting, but he recommended tabling the changes for now to allow more discussion. Maybe that discussion time will give all of us citizens, who all create jobs by buying things, will get a chance to explain how we job creators like having shade, water filtration, and natural beauty to improve our quality of life.
A little bit off subject, however it’s pertinent…the R C Journal, takes down the Memo, regarding Title IV, reminding the states that there are Federal Laws that protect the Transgender persons. It’s against Federal Law to Discriminate. Thus, sends a loud clear message to the Governor of Discrimination being played out by her web-site…….
It’s too bad Governor Noem can’t leave kids alone and focus on bullying trees the way Mayor Schaunaman does. Trees don’t march and protest and threaten boycotts.
Of course, the lack of trees will decrease the appeal of our community to the businesses that are looking for a good reason to move here. They’ll see our bare streets and parking lots and say, Good grief, you discriminate against transgender people, and you can’t afford a little more greenery? No thanks; we’ll stay in the Twin Cities
Abe-rdeen, the city named after Abe, bigoted against trees? No trees, banning transgenders and people of color, what’s next? Small white people. Their dream of living in the 1950s is disappearing.
Job creators are supposed to move into a city with no trees?
Ban all good things created by God, and that includes everyone, including minorities and trans people, and you will have a city with fewer and fewer people. Not a welcoming place. Fake Christians.
Hey I used to carve trees in Aberdeen, left one their in their art center. It was way to influenced by Raoul Hague but I gave that up. That was I’d say 41 years ago. Wonder what happened to it?
I’m not a fan of the mayor, but the Landscaping ordinance Aberdeen has is not good. Planting a tree in an island in the middle of a parking lot should be considered tree abuse. Trees are good, but they need to be properly placed.
Add a fee to commercial building permits to purchase land and plant trees. That will do more good than a little tree in an island, with the island being some peoples trash receptacles.
The $100,000 limit does not allow for much to be done without invoking the landscape ordiance. If a C-store or diner just wants to update their building exterior, they will exceed that dollar amount.