Waterford — The Planning and Zoning Commission will allow Waterford High School to remove pine trees from the front of the school campus and replace them with shrubs and deciduous trees.

The commission voted Monday following close to three months of deliberation to allow the school to remove the trees. Commission Chairman Gwen Hughes said during the meeting that the decision was difficult.

"You're talking about trees. You're talking about life," she said after the meeting.

Superintendent Jerome Belair said he was happy with the outcome. In a May 14 letter outlining the revised request for tree removal, he wrote that Public Works expected to complete the work by the end of June.

In February, the district requested permission from the commission to remove a total of roughly 40 pine trees from the front of the school and by the tennis courts. The district's new proposal, which the commission approved, does not address the trees by the tennis courts.

District officials said previously that they wished to removed the trees because they blocked the view of the new high school and could pose a safety hazard. They also complained that the trees by the tennis courts drop needles onto the courts.

— Tess Townsend