A tree-clearing on a Radnor Township hill near the I-476 interchange has angered some residents and commissioner, writes Justine McDaniel for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The hill, on a traffic island along Lancaster Avenue, had trees and brush on it for decades.

The trees were cut down in early January with no warning.

The job cost $46,000, drawn from an interchange improvement fund.  It was done without consulting township commissioners or PennDOT.

“I can’t imagine that there’s someone who works for this township who lacks so much understanding of the people that live in this township that they don’t understand how outraged we would be,” resident Charles Barber told the commissioners at their Jan. 27 meeting.

Township Manager Robert Zienkowski was suspended by the commissioners in late January for authorizing the work. He resigned a few days later after 10 years.

Zienkowski said his resignation was unrelated to the tree cutting.

In an Inquirer interview, Zienkowski said he authorized the clearing for trees that were overgrown and infested with lantern flies and ash borers.

The improvement fund had been dormant, losing money when it filed annual tax returns.

Read more about Radnor’s manager resigning and the clearing of a hillside here.

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