Dover Planners Face Tree Challenge

Proposed Ann Street development project calls for cutting down as many as 1,500 trees.

The home at 180 Ann Street features a heavily wooded 11-acre parcel. (realtor.com)

Dover and its Shade Tree Commission proudly embraces its status as a "Tree City, USA" town by the Arbor Day Foundation.

Thursday Night, members of the Dover Planning Board heard a proposal from Marc Walker, Practicing Engineer from the Dykstra Walker Design Group on P26-02, a project that would turn the single-family-home, 11-acre lot at 180 Ann Street into a residential development of 22 single-family homes.

A standing-room-only crowd spilled into the hearing room at Dover Town Hall, ready to listen to the presentation and voice their displeasure about the proposal includes potentially removing as many as 1,350 trees for the development of "modest 2850-square-foot houses" as described by Walker.

As the presentation went on, the Planners and community members had more questions and concerns, enough to force chairman Rafael Rivera and the board members to "carry" the presentation to a hastily arranged special meeting for Thursday, October 29.

A rendering of the proposed development reveals the 22 parcels planned for construction. (Photo/DOVERNOW.com)

The potential of cutting down thousands of trees drew audible gasps and mumbled criticisms from residents who were unsatisfied by Walker's responses to questions abouteasements, variances, environmental impact studies, and impacts on traffic, first-response teams, and classrooms. The presentation went until shortly before 10 p.m., when chairman Rivera called for a short recess, giving residents four-minute windows for questions — limited to only queries about Walker's presentation and comments — capping the meeting's conclusion at 10:30.

Krista Seanor, a Democratic candidate for the Ward 2 Dover Town Council seat in the coming November election, lives "around the corner" from the proposed Ann Street development.

"The proposal before the Planning Board was incomplete and should have been carried from the beginning," she said. "The residents are still extremely concerned about the tremendous loss oftrees that could worsen flooding throughout the area. The applicant also did not address theendangered bat species and lot sizes that are inconsistent with the existing character of the neighborhood."

An aerial overview image shows the dense foliage around 180 Ann Street. (google.com)

With many questions left unanswered and promises of reviews and amendments, the October 29 meeting could be held in a bigger room.