A section of the riverfront embankment that was clear-cut by a private contractor on Sept. 23.
The city is conducting an internal review of its policies on tree removal, following a department head’s decision three weeks ago to approve a private owner’s request to clear-cut about 80 yards of public land along the Susquehanna River.
Mayor Eric Papenfuse, who spoke about the matter after a City Council legislative session Tuesday, said that he learned about the removal only “after the fact” and that he was “not pleased with the level of review” the request received.
According to city officials, Director of Public Works Aaron Johnson green-lighted the removal on Sept. 23 of dozens of trees from an embankment along the river in the 2900 block of N. Front Street.
The request was made by owner Michael Wilson of two mansions across the street from the area, who wanted to improve views of the river for guests at a bed and breakfast complex planned for the site, officials said.
Papenfuse said Tuesday that Johnson gave his approval on the condition that the owner contract with a professional tree service for the removal.
Wilson hired Stoner’s Tree Service to perform the work, according to the mayor’s spokeswoman, Joyce Davis.
The city currently has no process for handling such requests aside from the approval of departmental heads, Papenfuse said, adding that city officials believed the request for the N. Front Street embankment was the first of its kind.
But in the future, he said, the city’s new arborist position, which council voted to fund during Tuesday’s session, would be in charge of reviewing applications regarding tree removal on public land.
Papenfuse also said the city had contacted the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to seek recommendations for plantings on the embankment to prevent soil erosion.
“There may be some replanting that will occur, but we’re going to let DCNR advise us on that,” the mayor said. “And we may ask the property owner to pay for that.”
Papenfuse also affirmed on Tuesday that the embankment in question formed part of Riverfront Park. The city solicitor, Neil Grover, had previously said he was trying to establish the park’s boundaries, though the fact that the embankment is public land was never in dispute.
Johnson, who has held management-level positions in the public works department since 2004, ran against Papenfuse as an independent candidate for mayor in last fall’s election. Upon taking office, Papenfuse promoted him from his most recent position as deputy director of public works.
