There are multiple dead trees at Vinnin Square, raising concerns among town officials.

“It’s a requirement from the zoning bylaws that if trees are in the site plan, they have to maintain them,” said Tree Committee Member Brian Drummond. “If they die, they have to replace them. It’s a zoning requirement.”

Sarah Klaman, an associate with Centercorp Retail Properties, which manages Vinnin Square, did not respond to requests for comment from the Swampscott Tides. 

Drummond and Tree Committee member Jennifer Honig are working on an update to the zoning bylaw that would require replacement trees measuring 3 inches in caliper (diameter) or more to be replaced with trees of the same caliper.

The current zoning bylaw requires property owners to replace dead trees, but the building inspector noted that it does not specify the size of the replacement tree.

“We’re trying to fill in that blank,” Drummond said. 

The bylaw change will need to be approved by the Planning Board and then make its way through the town’s legal team, the Select Board and finally become a part of the Fall Town Meeting warrant.

“I’m hopeful,” Drummond said. “The change is needed.”

The issue ties back to the Tree Committee’s efforts to preserve Swampscott’s shrinking tree canopy. The town experienced a loss of 139 acres of tree canopy between 2010 and 2023, according to Tree Committee Chair Richard Frenkel.

The impact grows as mature trees are removed and replaced with smaller ones. Even when a new, smaller tree is planted, it can take years to restore the lost canopy.

In addition to improving air quality, trees provide shade and help manage stormwater runoff. For larger retail properties like Vinnin Square, Drummond said the trees also help reduce temperatures in expansive parking lots.

Drummond said that anyone who sees a dead tree should contact the building inspector or the Tree Committee. 

The Vinnin Square area will also be the focus of several upcoming town meetings. The Earth Removal Advisory Committee will review an application for an earth removal permit from Swampscott Multi Owner LLC on Monday, July 20. The address listed on the agenda indicates the permit is for the Stop & Shop side of the shopping center.

The Tree Committee will also discuss the dead trees as well as planting plans in Vinnin Square during its meeting on Thursday, July 21.

Vinnin Square is undergoing some significant visible changes. Fast and Beauty has closed and been replaced by Fit Ritual, a new fitness center. The former Bertucci’s space is now home to Sam Walker’s American Tavern.

In addition to filling vacant storefronts, Centercorp is adding three new outparcel buildings.

“We are working with First Watch. That’s going to be an amazing addition. It’ll be a real breakfast place,” Klaman previously said, adding that another one of the parcels will be a “Mediterranean concept with bowls.”

That said, Premier Martial Arts closed after five years in operation at Vinnin Square, citing increased rent. 

Flip the Bird also announced it was closing up shop due food costs, higher operating expenses and increasing rent as factors in the decision. Flip the Bird also pointed to ongoing construction in the area, which it said has made access difficult for customers.

Drummond said he does not believe the construction has affected the trees.

“There were a lot of dead trees in that square prior to the construction,” Drummond said.

The next phase will bring a 160-unit apartment building located behind the Stop & Shop grocery store.

The redevelopment project is expected to take a while to complete. Andrew Rose, a principal at Centercorp and the property’s owner, previously estimated completion by the end of 2027.