A public hearing on the fate of nine trees on and near Mt. Auburn Street was held on Wednesday. At the hearing, it appeared that the future of the trees was out of the hands of the City of Watertown, but a legal counsel’s determination has changed that and the hearing has been rescheduled.
The City of Watertown sent out the following announcement:
Mount Auburn Street Tree Hearing Statement At the scheduled tree hearing on May 14, 2025, city staff indicated that the trees on Mount Auburn Street that are scheduled to be removed are not under the purview of the city’s Tree Warden. This information was based upon an interpretation that Mount Auburn Street is a state highway subject to an exemption in Chapter 87, Section 2 of Massachusetts General Laws.
Following further consultation with Legal Counsel, it has been determined that Mount Auburn Street is not classified as a state highway for the purpose of Chapter 87. Therefore, a tree hearing by the city’s Tree Warden will be required for the trees listed on the May 14, 2025 Public Shade Tree Removal Hearing agenda. (See agenda linked here)
This new hearing is now scheduled for June 4, 2025 at 10 a.m. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused and please refer to watertown-ma.gov for the agenda of the newly scheduled hearing when posted.