Notes from "222 Neighbors"
meeting on June 29, 2008
at the Reamstown Community Center
Issues concerning the
clearing of the trees and
vegetation along Route 222.
[Ken McCrea's comments in blue]
1) PennDOT Excuses for the clearing
· Trees falling on highway [30-40 foot trees located 100 feet off roadway?]
· Sun not melting ice on road [the trees lose their leaves in the winter...]
· Wild animals running across the road [I've seen 2 deer in the 18 years I have lived here]
· Trees interfering with drainage [none of them are near the storm drains]
· Cars running off road and hitting trees [trees at the top of a steep slope 100 feet off roadway?]
· [PennDOT claims trees do not act as a sound barrier] [?????]
2) Issues created by the tree and brush removal
· Contractor violating contract by removing trees over 12 inches
· Noise levels at houses greatly increased
· Security issues - east access to rear of houses without vegetation barrier [there have been many burglaries in the past from people coming over the fence along Rt 222]
· Pollution – water contamination, dust from roadway, etc.
· Energy efficiency of houses reduced by loss of shade and wind blocking
· Environmental damage
· Wildlife habitat loss – many birds nested in the area before clearing
· Decreased property values – Sherri Sweigert [a local real estate agent] estimated it at about $10,000 per house
· Contractor broke hydraulic line and spilled fluid – was buried rather than cleaned up
· Increased stormwater runoff – increased flooding in Reamstown Park (its already a problem)
· Street flooding in the development
· Erosion – no E & S controls being used by the contractor who is clearing steep slopes to bare earth
· Decreased privacy from rear of houses
· View from houses degraded – instead of trees we how have a major highway to look at
· High cost of unneeded work
· High cost of continued mowing, which would be unnecessary if the project wasn’t done
· No notice was given to residents by the contractor