Environment Watch

Some Upset After Trees Removed From Reservoir

BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) ― Some conservationists are upset after trees planted by school students at Loch Raven Reservoir were taken back out of the ground.

Suzanne Collins explains the controversy and why the trees were removed.

Community groups often volunteer to plant trees near Loch Raven Reservoir to prevent erosion.  In April, 200 seedlings were planted by students. But when 100 of them were removed at a businessman's request, it upset some community leaders.

"Mr. Bivona does not own that view.  It isn't his.  He should not be able to control it.  It belongs to the citizens of the county and the city and the watershed is city property and it should be protected," said Carol Trela with Long Green Valley Association.

Joe Bivona recently purchased Pierce's Plantation and turned the former restaurant into a wedding banquet facility.  He says one big reason he bought the place is the view and it makes a good backdrop for wedding photos.

"Every room in the restaurant has that water view and to take it away, I think it's a shame.  It's like an historic view.  People are used to it. People have fond memories of the place with that view," Bivona said.

He says he spent years on the purchase and a lot on renovations.  He says he doesn't understand why it raised such ire when his request to remove the trees was granted.

The city owns this watershed and a spokesman for the mayor says the businessman's request was a legitimate one.  He'd been working with Baltimore County economic development and they wanted to show courtesy.  The owner also agreed to pay for trees to be planted elsewhere.

After the snafu over the trees, the secretary of the Long Green Valley Association also noticed a wall going up around a porch that was previously just surrounded by a tent.

"I called for the association just to ask why the porch was being enclosed.  They sent out an inspector and the inspector shut him down, said he could no longer do that because he didn't have a zoning permit," Trela said.

The caterer says he was just trying to improve the view with clear glass and he thought it would prevent children from running into the road.

"My goal when I came in here was to clean it up, fix it up and make the neighbors proud of the business again," he said.

Pierce's had been vacant for about two years until it opened as a catering facility in the spring.

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