Mount Vernon trees: Baltimore panel OKs Mount Vernon restoration plan - baltimoresun.com

Mount Vernon trees: Baltimore panel OKs Mount Vernon restoration plan - baltimoresun.com

After six months of deliberation, Baltimore's preservation commission gave conceptual approval Tuesday to an $18.5 million plan by the Mount Vernon Place Conservancy to replace trees and make other improvements to the city-owned parkland at the base of the Washington Monument, with the understanding that the group still must obtain final approval of its plan and provide proof of funding before any work can begin.

In granting conceptual approval for the parkland, which is in a historic district, the commissioners voted to approve the group's plans to remove most of the trees on the public squares north and south of the Washington Monument. However, they withheld approval of plans to replace most of the trees on the squares east and west of the monument.