Standing ankle-deep in mud where a dense stand of oak and maple trees once grew, developer Randall Pierce gestured broadly toward a cleared expanse of land Tuesday afternoon and assured local officials that his proposed project would have “minimal impact” on the surrounding area.

Behind him, a row of freshly cut tree stumps stretched toward the treeline, punctuated by orange survey stakes and the idle silhouettes of heavy machinery.

“This land wasn’t really being used,” Pierce said, scanning the clearing. “We’re just unlocking its potential.”

Pierce was addressing members of the East Ridge Township Planning Commission during an on-site review of a proposed 96-unit residential development slated for what had, until recently, been uninterrupted woodland. The forest was removed earlier this spring.

According to planning documents, Pierce’s company, Ridgeview Development Group, first acquired the parcel three years ago. At the time, the land was zoned for low-density residential use and described in county records as “predominantly forested.”

Pierce said the project would consist of “tastefully designed homes” intended to blend seamlessly into the natural landscape.

“We’re very sensitive to the environment,” he said. “That’s why we wanted to get in early and take a good look at the site.”

Residents say that look appears to have been taken with a chainsaw.

During Tuesday’s visit, Pierce emphasized that the project’s environmental footprint would be minimal, citing preserved sightlines and the inclusion of “natural buffers.” When asked what those buffers consisted of, Pierce pointed to a narrow strip of trees along the property’s edge.

“We’re leaving that,” he said.

The strip measures approximately 15 feet wide.

Planning Commission Chair Harold Mertz nodded in approval.

“You can still see some woods,” Mertz said.

Residents attending the site visit stood quietly behind officials, surveying the clearing where deer, foxes, and owls had once been common.

“It don’t look minimal to me,” said local resident Dennis Fowler. “Looks pretty gone.”

Land-use experts say Pierce’s phrasing is typical of development proposals.

“‘Minimal impact’ is a flexible term,” said Dr. Elaine Roth, a regional planning consultant. “It usually means minimal relative to what regulations allow, not minimal relative to what existed.”

Roth said the framing shifts the comparison.

“It’s minimal compared to maximum,” she said. “Not minimal compared to the forest.”

Asked to clarify what “minimal” meant in this case, Pierce said it was a matter of perspective.

“We’re not building a factory,” he said. “We’re building homes.”

Several longtime residents said the land had been part of the township’s informal identity for decades.

“That was woods,” Fowler said. “You hunted back there. You walked. You heard things.”

Another resident, Linda Carver, said she used to hear owls at night.

“It was quiet,” she said. “Now it’s quiet because there’s nothing left to make noise.”

Carver said she first learned of the project when logging equipment appeared one morning.

“There wasn’t no notice,” she said. “Just trees coming down.”

Township officials said the project followed all required procedures.

“This didn’t happen overnight,” Mertz said. “There were permits.”

Records show Ridgeview Development Group submitted preliminary plans last fall, followed by a public hearing in November. Residents raised concerns about traffic, runoff, and wildlife displacement.

Those concerns were noted.

The project was approved pending revisions.

Logging began in March.

Pierce said the development would include stormwater management features to mitigate runoff.

“We’re putting in basins,” he said. “Very modern.”

Asked whether removing mature trees could affect water absorption, Pierce said engineers had accounted for it.

“Water finds a way,” he said.

Environmental advocates disagreed.

“Mature forests manage water in ways engineered systems can’t replicate,” said Sarah Klein, director of a regional conservation group. “Once they’re gone, the land behaves differently.”

Klein said mitigation measures rarely replace what is lost.

“You can’t engineer a forest back into existence,” she said.

Despite resident concerns, Planning Commission members appeared comfortable with Pierce’s assurances.

“We have to balance growth with preservation,” said Commissioner Tom Wilkes. “This seems reasonable.”

Wilkes said development was inevitable.

“People need places to live,” he said.

Asked whether alternative uses for the land had been considered, Wilkes noted that the property was privately owned.

“You can’t tell a man what to do with his land,” he said, standing on what had recently been his land’s trees.

Pierce emphasized the project’s economic benefits, citing tax revenue and construction jobs.

“This is good for the township,” he said. “Progress always is.”

Residents questioned who would benefit.

“These houses won’t be for us,” Fowler said. “They’ll be expensive.”

Pierce confirmed the homes would be market-rate.

“Quality costs money,” he said.

As the site visit concluded, officials thanked Pierce and said final documents would be reviewed in the coming weeks. Residents lingered after officials departed, looking out over the clearing.

“It’s already done,” Carver said. “Doesn’t matter what they decide now.”

Asked whether further clearing was planned, Pierce said remaining trees would likely come down during the next construction phase.

“We want to keep things efficient,” he said.

Later that evening, Pierce issued a statement reiterating his commitment to responsible development.

“Our project has been designed with care and consideration,” the statement read. “We believe it represents minimal impact relative to its scope.”

Asked to define that scope, Pierce did not respond.

Editor’s Note:

Ridgeview Development Group did not provide an environmental impact study detailing pre- and post-clearing conditions. Township officials declined to comment on whether such a study was required.