It is hard to say exactly what the difference is, but the combination of Nancy Humes, Cathy Forand, Rich Muraski and Bob Bess seems to work to the good of Grantwood Village. Why is that? We heard a lot of descriptive words after the June 15 meeting:     "civil, open, organized, friendly, cooperative ...."

For one thing, entering the sacred chambers of the Board of Trustees, visitors are greeted by helpful police officers who smiling and pleasant in their greetings and all too willing to remind them that real, live agendas are available on a nearby table, along with the treasurer’s report and other information that might be of interest to them.

The “New Board” is jut that – new; and by its own admission, is struggling to find its footing, but to the objective observer, there is an admitted difference in the feel of meetings.

This reporter has not always been a fan of Board actions and has not always agreed with the actions of Trustees Cathy Forand and Nancy Humes, but even she has to admit, things have changed – for the better.

At the Tuesday, June 15, meeting of the Board, which played to a packed house, there was a feeling that whatever arose during the course of the evening, it would be handled and all voices would be heard.  The issue of a reduction in the police budget as well as the proposal for speed humps in old Grantwood was resolved peacefully without name calling, anger or hostility.

One resident, who has certainly had her differences with the Board, admitted that the tone was “civil” and said she felt like she could “ask a question and expect to get an answer instead of being told to sit down and shut up”.

Whether or not those former feelings were warranted is a matter of subjective observation, but to the residents who experienced them, they were real and humiliating. That air seems to have been replaced with openness, problem solving, cooperation, and mutual respect. Of the 28 people in the room, only about eight were there to protest the speed humps. The rest were there because they are experiencing a new level of interest and involvement in their community.

Several times during the meeting, acting Chairperson Cathy Forand “suspended the rule of order” to engage the audience in problem solving. Miraculously, it worked! Residents spoke, applauded, asked questions and generally felt they were a part of the action, rather than apart from the action.

After the meeting, neighbors hung around the Town Hall until it appeared that newly elected Chairperson Cathy Forand would drop to the floor from exhaustion as she was suffering a summer cold. Finally, the last person left the building, but the parking lot became the new forum.  This reporter sought out dissenting voices and found none.

By all standards, the June meeting of the Grantwood Village Board of Trustees was a rousing success. Our hats are off to the Board and to the residents of Grantwood Village.

23 County Communities

Have Tree Ordinances

Is It Time for Grantwood Village to Act?

   Due to the recent controversy that has commanded the attention of the Grantwood Village Board of Trustees, and Villagers in general, the annual celebration of National Arbor Day has gotten lost in the shuffle. It is no secret that we at www.GrantwoodVillage.info are strong advocates and champions of trees, so we are taking it upon ourselves to remind readers of this important day.

Of all the things that have been said about our Village in recent weeks, one theme is consistent:  we are described as a “tree lined community…” a “village of old trees….” and in other ways that point to the presence of 200 and 300 year old trees not only as a characteristic of the Village, but as the defining characteristic.

The recent tree inventory financed by a TRIM grant revealed to us that the trees in the common ground alone can be reasonably valued at $367,000! That is slightly more than our entire proposed budget for 2011.

No, we cannot exactly “take that to the bank” as one would the deed to a home, but in the scope of home value and community assets, we can.

  "A mature tree can often have an appraised value of between $1,000 and $10,000."

—Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers

Throughout the country, and here in St. Louis County, municipalities have begun to protect their trees from reckless destruction by enacting and enforcing tree ordinances to provide for the regulation of the planting, protection, maintenance, and removal of trees, shrubs, and other plants within public, on construction sites and even on private property.

We know that some residents will oppose a tree ordinance, citing their right to do as they please with their private property. But, don’t existing ordinances, both Village and County, prove that private property within an incorporated area carries with it a responsibility not only to that property but to the community as well.

We are not allowed to do certain things that interfere with the access and enjoyment of our neighbor’s property. We are not allowed to do things that detracted from the overall order and pleasant appearance of the community. In Grantwood Village we are not allowed to construct solid fences, leave unlicensed vehicles; horse trailers, boats, or even RV’s in our driveway or yards; leave our trash cans out front; or even leave our leaves on the ground too long.

While we are not generally for more regulation, we strongly believe that, as a community we have left a gaping gap through which bulldozers and backhoes can cause great damage to, and decrease the value of, our community.

We believe that people who choose to live in Grantwood Village are greatly attracted by the multitude of trees and landscaping. We are known for our trees. We are identified by them. We are protected from the noise and pollution brought to us by main thoroughfares because they exist.

According to the Tree City USA, trees increase property values, reduce heating and cooling costs, control floods, clean the air, reduce noise, attract tourists, improve our psychological well-being and beautify our surroundings.

The U.S. Forest Service estimates that market values for homes are increased 7 to 20 % by the presence of trees. In a study in Chicago, the U.S. Forest Service found that a single 25-foot tree can reduce annual heating and heating and cooling costs by 2 to 4 %, or $28 to $86 per year. And, that’s just ONE tree. How many are in your yard? The energy savings are increased proportionally.

However, trees in cities and towns cannot be taken for granted. City trees face daily stresses their country cousins never thought about. Soil disturbance and compaction, air pollution, de-icing salt, vandalism, accidental injury and the threat of development are just a few of the problems that attack the health and well-being of community trees.

It stands to reason that we would want to protect this green garment as it protects us.

We also agree that most of the fine folks who live in our Village are responsible, reasonable people who love the towering oaks in their yards.  But, some just don’t get it.

A year or so ago, a young couple moved into a home in Forest Haven. Like most of us, they were not crazy about raking the thousands and thousands of leaves that shower our yards each fall. So, we are told, they thought it was wise to cut down the huge, old culprits that had stood sentry in the front yard for centuries.

Then, for whatever reason, they had to put their house on the market. Unlike most houses in Grantwood Village, the house has been on the market now for almost a year! We cannot prove that the lack of trees is the reason the house is not selling, but it is flanked on both sides by well landscaped, lush, green yards and looks stark and bare in comparison.

Then, there is the issue of Grant’s Farm. As many of us feared and as the news media has informed us lately, Anheuser–Busch is no longer the St. Louis loving corporation it once was. InBev has been in a cost cutting frenzy and may decide that it no longer cares to support Grant’s Farm. The Busch family owns more than 500 acres in the Village. Unlike the Erickson property, our Village Board of Trustees will have some say over how the property is developed, but no say over how many trees could be cut down.

Contractors tell us that it is easier to build where no trees exist and having just visited in St. Charles County, where once we saw lush hillsides and valleys, we know that the conventional wisdom of developers leans toward “clear cutting”. It is no consolation that they named the streets Oak, Elm, Maple or Chestnut. The trees are gone, forever.

Such ordinances are also designed to protect community residents from personal injury and property damage, and the protection of the municipalities from property damage, caused or threatened by the improper planting, pruning, maintenance, or removal of trees, shrubs, or other plants located within the community. They include “topping” or the drastic removal or cutting back of large branches in mature trees leaving large, open wounds, which subjects the tree to disease and decay.

Tree ordinances take many shapes and forms and can be tailored to the needs of Grantwood Village. They are not to be feared. Look around you at the communities that have already adapted them. Is this lush, green Village less progressive than they are? It seemed we were on the right track last year when our Board initiated the Tree City USA designation.

LINKS for more information:

National Arbor Day

Tree Ordinance Guidelines

Webster Groves Tree Ordinance

TreeCityUSA.com

TRIM Grant Website