Dear Editor,
At the June 12 Independence Township Planning Commission meeting, the commission established that on Thursday, July 10 at 7 p.m., the township planning commission will address the proposed new township tree ordinance. It is scheduled to be on the agenda, discussed and perhaps voted on.
This important item, in my opinion, is a first step in preventing the type of open space preservation disregard that has occurred in the new Waldon village development. I think it is important for interested citizens to voice their opinion and educate themselves about what happened here and how to avoid such green space destruction in the future.
Independence Township has approximately 1,561 acres left in forested property in 67 parcels of five acres or greater. This is out of a total of 23,040 total acres in the Township. Although I understand we do have acres preserved in parkland and conservation easements, we still should be able to preserve some woodland in our future development projects.

Thomas Pytel
Clarkston, MI