Is Dunedin Green and Sustainable?

“Trees Tame Stormwater

As urban development reduces tree cover, stormwater runoff increases, carrying pollutants into waterways and degrades the environment. Trees help manage stormwater by absorbing rainfall, filtering pollutants, and reducing erosion, leading to healthier ecosystems and more sustainable urban spaces.” - https://www.arborday.org

Happy Earth Month Dunedin!

Dunedin’s Environmental Manager and Sustainability Program Coordinator stress the need for sustainability and protecting the environment, including our waterways.

Our City Arborist had a message: “Rebuilding Dunedin’s Tree Canopy” and gave away trees to do so. It would be better to maintain what is left, instead of rebuilding the canopy – that is the definition of sustainability.

Dunedin offers a mixed message. While Arbor Day and Earth Month were being celebrated, Archway Partners and Pike Construction were clearing trees, understory and nesting animals for Dunedin’s “Flats on Main”. Looking at the city’s meeting minutes for the project, you will find the density for the area was increased by 85% and Dunedin contributed $610,000 from its General Fund to endorse it.

City of Dunedin’s FLATS ON MAIN STREET Project
1422 Carnation Dr

Dunedin, FL34698

Owner: MGC Main Street Holdings LLC

Developer: Archway Partners

General Contractor: Pike Construction

The affordable housing project should have been called “Flats on Carnation”, as you will not see the development on Main Street. It is wedged in behind Lueken’s Wine & Spirits and other businesses along Main Street. Therefore, most of Dunedin would not have seen the clearing of one of the last decent-sized islands of vegetation in the area. Ripping out trees – especially during nesting season – does not promote Dunedin’s green initiative. If you google the address and hit “Maps”, you will see the tree cover and ground that was there.

If Dunedin’s mission is to preserve the environment and rebuild its canopy, it is unclear why healthy trees along the fence lines were destroyed. Was it necessary? The photo shows a neighboring property’s fence section torn up with a tree. This shows the oak was on the boundary and should not interfere with the project. There were many border trees removed last week. Conserving tall, established trees is definitely a plus over new plantings.

During the June 5, 2025 city meeting, a commissioner said of the development: “It’s about what we need as a community. That means from time-to-time sacrifices have to be made, otherwise you don’t have a community”

Doesn’t sustaining the environment and green space, controlling runoff, preserving our waterways and providing a corridor for birds and other wildlife to move around our city count toward a community? If a green and sustainable community is what we are advertising, how much of Dunedin’s environment is allowed to be sacrificed? As additional development is considered, Earth Day is a great day to contemplate this question.

“Rain refreshes the land and nourishes the green landscape. But as houses, stores, schools, roads and parking lots spread and natural tree cover is lost, so is the absorbing effect of vegetation and soil. The welcome rain becomes costly stormwater runoff. Without the benefit of trees and vegetated infrastructure, waterways are polluted as oils, heavy metal particles and other harmful substances are washed away. Fish and wildlife suffer, drinking water becomes expensive or impossible to reclaim, property values are reduced, and our living environment is degraded." https://www.arborday.org

Instead of almost 3.5 acres of unpaved land and a healthier environment, Dunedin elected for two large, 3-story buildings and a paved parking lot. The need to reduce paved surfaces and maintain vegetated infrastructure was not mentioned on the City of Dunedin’s Earth Day goals – maybe it should be!