Removal of near 1,000 trees central to Seventh Street Commons housing project in St. Charles

While the 93-home, 12-townhouse Seventh Street Commons project gained favor from City Council, neighboring St. Charles residents argued the plans cannot see the forest for the trees - namely, near 1,000 trees facing removal.The City Council, as the Committee of the Whole on Oct. 19, recommended approval of updated plans for the long-vacant site located northwest of downtown and north of Dean and State streets. The city has long aimed to transition the area to residential to bring more foot traffic to the downtown’s businesses.The developer, Pulte Home Company, said every tree within the interior of the 27-acre former Applied Composites property will be removed.Nick Peppers, attorney for Pulte, said the majority are “trash trees” that should be removed. He said the developers will try to save high-quality trees around the site’s perimeter, located closer to the existing neighborhood.“More housing in the city is desirable, close to your downtown, within walking distance, and providing an