Dover Tree Committee Holds First Public Forum on New Tree Preservation Bylaw

DOVER -- June 8, 2026, Dover's Tree Preservation Committee opens public engagement on a new standalone tree bylaw. Chairperson Valerie Lynn and town planner Melissa Sanchusi-Razi co-lead the project with consultants from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, who presented best-practices research Monday from communities including Concord, Newton, and Brookline and outlined a three-tiered approach covering preservation, protection, and mitigation. Live polling at the webinar showed 60 percent of respondents strongly supporting a new bylaw, with 89 percent saying it should apply to new residential construction and major additions. Residents debated whether town-owned and conservation lands should be covered alongside private lots, with Conservation Commission agent Janet Bowser noting the commission manages roughly 600 acres under a policy that allows tree removal only for public safety reasons. Dover Land Conservation Trust president Amy Moot said her organization complies with all existing bylaws and would continue to do so. A community-wide survey is set for July, with a draft bylaw and in-person public forum planned for September.