The Alabaster City Council has taken a positive step to avoid one of the bitterest pitfalls of subdivision development &8212; the clear cutting of trees and destruction of green space.

The council recently approved an amendment to the city&8217;s land disturbance ordinance that requires developers to submit a survey to show why a tree is removed. Also, certain trees would have to be moved or replaced.

Trees could be removed for the footprint of a house, road or utility line.

But the best thing about the amendment is that while it prevents a developer from clear cutting vast sections of land, it does not limit what an individual homeowner can do with his own property.

This change only affects developers.

Recently, residents in the Westover area complained about such clear cutting of property. Their heartfelt anger over the loss of forest and green space resonates with many who see rows of houses and streets barren of a single tree as unsightly or dull landscape.

Alabaster is a fast growing city. There are already many subdivisions and commercial projects gobbling up land.

In order to help keep Alabaster not only a thriving but beautiful city, such steps as the land disturbance ordinance are needed.

Other cities that have not taken such steps should also consider this type of action before it is too late.

The action by Alabaster was well received by the public and rightly so.