(5/14) The Hamiltonban Township Board of Supervisors voted unanimously at their May 7 meeting to approve a list of acceptable road-side trees that may be planted in conjunction with newly constructed streets.

The regulations apply to newly constructed township roads or streets, as well as those planned in conjunction with subdivision and land development projects.

The township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, as revised and approved in 2012, already calls for road-side tree plantings. The adopted tree list provides a list of trees that would be acceptable in fulfilling the development ordinance.

Robert L. Gordon, board of supervisor chairman, told the News Journal the list of trees approved at the May 7 meeting was developed by the township Planning Commission and recommended to the board for approval. The types of trees selected, he said, represented species that posed the least threat to various aspects of infrastructure as they matured.

"We wanted to tell the developers what the approved trees were because of the concerns to make sure they don’t plant trees that are going to have all kind so foot structures that destroy sidewalks and create dirt and problems," Gordon stated. Trees were chosen trees "that were not going to be destructive or cause a lot of problems."

Gordon said that, as a result of the approval of the tree list, any development or subdivision proposed in the township would have to include plans for street trees from the approved list, and that "that would be part of the approval process."

Township Planning Commission Chairman Russell Ryan told the News Journal that the trees selected by the commission comprised species that were native to Pennsylvania, or that had traditionally thrived here after having been introduced early on in the history of the region.

The planning commission, he said, endeavored to avoid including "exotic or other (non-historic) introduced species."

Approved small trees, defined as those that mature at under 30 feet in height, included Serviceberry, Serviceberry (many cultivars), Hornbeam, American Redbud, and the Thornless Cockspur Hawthorn.

Medium trees, those that tend to grow from 30 to 40 feet in height, may include the Thornless Honey Locust and Hop-hornbeam.

Large tress, those that attain a height of 40 feet or more, may include Red Maple, Sugar Maple, Bitternut Hickory, Pignut Hickory, Shagbark Hickory, Mockernut Hickory, Hackberry, Kentucky Coffeetree, Tupelo Black Gum, White Oak, Scarlet Oak, Pin Oak, Northern Red Oak, and the Linden Basswood.