JACKSON, Wyo. — On Monday, Sept. 8, Town Manager Tyler Sinclair informed Town Council of a revision in Albertsons’ landscape plan to allow for the installation of 33 new trees in place of the 32 cottonwood trees proposed for removal.
A traffic sign at Albertsons is alerting drivers that construction work is expected until October 31. Towing will be enforced on any vehicles parked overnight in the lot during this time.
During Monday’s meeting, Sinclair alerted Town Council of the landscaping change in anticipation of any input received from the public. Sinclair said that removing the 32 cottonwood trees was recommended by a certified arborist because they have “become hazardous and pose a threat to the parking areas, walkways and the general public.”
“The Cottonwood trees are damaging the site,” the Manager’s report states. “They’ve outgrown the spaces they were originally planted in on this site.”
Andy Erskine, Parks Superintendent for Teton County/Jackson Parks and Recreation, also consulted on the revised landscape plan, agreeing that the trees need to be removed to help ensure public safety. Valley Landscape Service (VLS) will be conducting the tree removal and tree installation.
A letter from the Town of Jackson Planning Department to Dan Tolson, owner of VLS, confirmed that on Aug. 19, Planning Director Paul Anthony approved the revised landscape plan. The open space in the Albertsons parking area will remain the same square footage, according to the letter. Additionally, landscaping crews will maintain the approximate same number of trees. The letter states that the list of tree species to be installed must comply with the Town’s ordinance of acceptable trees.
Tolson told Buckrail that new cottonwood trees cannot be planted because they grow to be too big for the allotted space. He said that the new trees will be a combination of Patmore ash and maple trees, which are both used in the Town’s urban forestry plan.
According to Tolson, the landscaping work will begin after the Town completes the store’s parking lot renovations, including new sidewalks, curbs and asphalt. He noted that the dates of tree installation will be flexible, according to the weather and Town’s construction schedule.
“Town will be setting the pace,” Tolson said. “Once the the asphalt is finished, we will close off different sections of the parking lot so customers can still get around.”
