The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Two aspens will replace the spruce trees
By Mark Reaman
The cutting down last week of two large spruce trees on Elk Avenue by the Princess building generated no shortage of local conversation, and the Crested Butte planning and building departments have stated the trees were removed as a last resort.
Responding to an inquiry from the Crested Butte News town officials said the original intent was to save the trees but when the situation precluded that, the contractors obtained the necessary permit through the town.
The trees were on property being renovated by the Mark Walter development group.
“During the BOZAR review process, the development team emphasized how much they wanted to keep the trees, and the trees were part of each of the proposals that were reviewed. This area will incorporate an accessible entry for the building from the Elk Avenue sidewalk,” explained Crested Butte planner Jessie Earley.
“Unfortunately, as construction has progressed and the site work and grading was starting, they exposed the large tap roots for both trees to determine which way those roots grew out. If they would have gone to the north/south, the trees could have remained and the infrastructure, grading and entry could have been installed. However, the roots were directed east/west, which meant cutting into those to facilitate the work that needed to happen would inevitably kill the trees in the long run,” she said. “Cutting the roots and then requiring the trees to remain would have then been a risk to both buildings and to the sidewalk if the trees fell.”
Earley said the contractors for the project, Black Dragon Development, submitted a tree permit application with a replacement plan. Tree permits are administered in collaboration between the Building Department and the PROST Parks Recreation, Open Space and Trails Department.
Town code addresses replacement trees: “Where construction of structures or improvements on any property necessitates the removal of any tree the town manager or designee, as a condition of approval for removal, may require that the owner either relocate or replace the trees with a comparable substitute elsewhere within the building site. Comparable substitute is defined as a tree with a canopy at maturity being comparable to the canopy at maturity of the removed tree with no replacement deciduous tree being less than two inches in diameter measured at the root collar, and no evergreen tree being less than four feet in height.”
If there isn’t room on the site, the trees may be planted elsewhere.
A letter from the project team was posted for a few days on the construction fence. It said in part that, “It is with great disappointment that we announce that the two spruce trees located at 216 Elk Ave must be removed…We ask for your understanding and support of this very difficult decision. Replacement trees will be provided back to the Town in accordance with all remediation policies and standards…”
Town building official Astrid Matison said the developers plan to replace the two spruce trees with two three-inch in diameter aspens. Those trees will be planted on the development site in 2026.
