25 Responses to “tree murder on 27th Street”

1. posted by Eric S. Huffstutler at May 30, 2008 7:10 pm :
   

   I am just waiting for something similar to happen in front of 405 N 27th. There is a very large and very old tree that the power company has made adjustments to run the line through the middle rather than trim around and flat toping it by adding insulators where branches touch. The roots have raised all of the brick sidewalk around it. But there will be a day when someone gets a wild hair up their ass and decide to cut it down. I know there are at least 3 major trunk graphs and one is now showing signs of constant dampness at the connecting joint of one split. Only a matter of time it starts rotting there and becomes weak but will definitely change the way the street looks and kill a lot of shade and wind buffering if it does come down.

   Why does the power company and city cut them down but doesn’t replace them with new smaller trees?

   Eric

2. posted by Katherine at May 31, 2008 12:00 am :
   

   Ok…it was me I confess. I apologize for my P*tty mouth. But I was/am upset!

   When I came to our little eden, I was charmed by these big old trees. I never would have guessed the city would have so little respect for them.

   It would be easy to think this was a one time case- but what about the trees in Libby Park? What about the trees near the Elmira Shelton house?

   If anyone reading this has other examples (and I know there are), and would care to mount a united front to the city council…let’s do it. I’ll go argue.

3. posted by Gordon at May 31, 2008 2:13 pm :
   

   Eighty year old Oak trees are vanishing at an alraming rate on, well…, OAKWOOD AVE! These otherwise healthy trees are being cut down on the street that bears their name. When contacted about this issue, the city Botonist seemed to have little idea as to why they had to go. However, he assured me that a tree will be planted in it’s place. The down side? The tree will most likely not be oak, and the size: under 6 ft.! Way to go Richmond!

4. posted by Kiko at May 31, 2008 4:47 pm :
   

   That is ridiculous! Who can we call to complain to… I’m mostly p/o’ed at the murder of a beautiful old tree itself, but losing established trees also harms home values… and therefore the amount the city collects in taxes. Maybe we can spin it to them that way if they’re too boorish to grasp the intrinsic value of these trees. Does the power company even have the authority to totally obliterate the city’s trees?

5. posted by Katherine at May 31, 2008 9:31 pm :
   

   I am told dialing 311 will give you the parks department and you may then ask for the chief arborist. I haven’t tried it yet, though.

   I did go back on this blog to January 6, when a 100 year old oak was killed at 22nd and Leigh. Someone posted a name and email, which I used today. I cc’d the president and vice president of the Church Hill Neighborhood Ass’n, and our councilwoman Dolores McQuinn.

   President J. Johnson and VP Serratt were kind enough to email me back, and Mr. Johnson said he would make an inquiry for us. I will keep you posted, if I hear anything.

   Now I am worried for our other trees…will they go under the ax, too?

6. posted by Norm at June 2, 2008 11:12 am :
   

   The trees that were removed on 27th St. on Friday May 30th were removed not because of wire issues but Hazard issues. The larger tree had multiple failures and cavities, it also had a split limb greater than 6”which led into the decay in the trunk. It was the opinion of more than one Arborist that the tree posed an imminent Hazard to the houses and street below. The trunk would not be able to support the weight of the canopy under storm conditions. There was a call for storms for Saturday May 31st and I as the Arborist for the Church Hill Area I made the call for the removal. I notified the resident who lived at the house beneath and the neighbors around him. I also got Marion McDonald to look at the trees and I explained it to her.
   The second tree was a danger with only 3 branches left on it. The trunk was hollow at the joint where the three limbs came together. This qualified the tree as a Hazard. This is why the tree had to come down.

7. posted by Eric S. Huffstutler at June 2, 2008 11:34 am :
   

   Norm… are you familiar with the tree at 405 N 27th? What is your assessment of it?

   I ask because a similar tree in the back yard of the same address split a large limb/trunk a year ago and landed across 2 yards and on top of part of Pritchard Bros crushing a vehicle. The trees are similar in size and age as well as shape. Think they may be some of the original for the property? Don’t want it cut down but at the same time if it is not healthy (and have seen small branches come out during storms), don’t want it to come down on a house this hurricane season. AND it would need replaces with a substantial tree, not just a seedling.

   Eric

8. posted by Norm at June 2, 2008 11:43 am :
   

   I would be glad to set up an appointment with you to look at the tree.646-6785

9. posted by Eric S. Huffstutler at June 2, 2008 12:52 pm :
   

   My question concerning these that have already been cut down. Are the stumps going to be removed and properly landscaped (as well as brick sidewalk reworked from the roots) and new trees planted in their place or will the stumps just sit there forever?

   Eric

10. posted by neighhbor at June 2, 2008 3:29 pm :
    

    I think it would be nice if the City would at least replace all the trees it cuts down.

    This seems like a no-brainer.

    I would also say we should all take into account that this is a policy decision higher than Norm and subject to funding from council. Norm is doing a great job of being as communicative as possible.

11. posted by Eric S. Huffstutler at June 2, 2008 3:42 pm :
    

    It is like the city digging up sidewalks and leaving the bricks piled up for months until some disappear or digging up cobblestones on older streets and putting down blacktop patches which look like hell instead of laying the stones back down and destroy the historical streets. BTW… anyone know when the cobblestone streets and brick sidewalks were added?

    Eric

12. posted by Eric S. Huffstutler at June 2, 2008 4:40 pm :
    

    I spoke with Norm Brown and we are going to get together Wednesday to look over the trees at 405 N 27th. He doesn’t want to cut ANY tree down if he can help it but some have to come down as they end up dying from the inside out meaning they become like hollow drinking straws and when a big wind comes and sways the tops of the trees, eventually that hollow branch or trunk gives way. Apparently this one at least one of the cases with the trees cut down. The outer layer (bark) looked fine but the core was hollow.

    Eric

13. posted by john_m at June 2, 2008 4:43 pm :
    

    Maybe there is way that impending tree removals can be communicated to folks before the trees come down, via the neighborhood associations or this site, even.

14. posted by Leigh C. at June 2, 2008 5:35 pm :
    

    Norm, I live directly across the street and received no advance notification. My neighbor’s car was just 2 car-lengths past the tree the entire day, and she wasn’t notified. You would hear far less outrage if we knew in advance, and knew WHY a tree was coming down.

    I’ve spoken with several horrified walkers going past those mangled empty spots in the past few days, all of whom are stunned to have lost yet another old friend in the neighborhood. All I could say was that I agreed with them: how thoughtless. It would be wise of your office to communicate the truth to the neighbors IN ADVANCE.

15. posted by Katherine at June 2, 2008 10:22 pm :
    

    Mr Brown,

    Since you chose to answer my email publicly rather than personally I will respond in kind.

    I am no tree expert. I don’t claim to be. If this was the consensus of several people and the man in charge gave the order then, there you have it, it’s done, there’s no recourse. And of course, you know that, don’t you. But what I do know is when the tree was damaged, which was April. Rot and disease don’t form to that degree in 2 months. Prudent pruning could have won this battle. But cutting it down was just so much easier, wasn’t it.

    And since you brought it up, the matter of the second tree. How did it become so degraded and amputated down to 3 limbs?

    Could it be by…ohhhh….by chainsaw wielding city workers?? No, they would never do a thing like that. Hmmm. I guess it must have been woodpeckers.

    “I notified the resident who lived at the house beneath and the neighbors around him.”

    A word was had with TINA @ 102(not a “he”, btw), about the cracked branch. That’s all that was said- cracked branch, limb removal. Nothing more. Not “we’re cutting down your trees.” I’m not saying we would have hired a private arborist and filed an injunction with the city to stop it- but come on now. There was hardly implied consent.

    The residents of both the east and west corners of Franklin (26 and 2700 blocks respectively) did not know nor did anyone at each of the 3 properties fronting it (like me, Tina, and the people across the street).

16. posted by Mike Harrell at June 3, 2008 9:27 am :
    

    I’m not questioning the decision to cut down these particular trees, but I do wish policy required the opinion of more than one arborist when “significant” trees are being considered for removal.

    I do question the pruning technique of “wishboning” which seems to be widely practiced in the neighborhood and leaves the canopy of trees hollow, two-dimensional, and I suspect, ultimately weakened. I wonder if the trees discussed above were subject to this.

17. posted by Joshua at June 13, 2008 5:53 pm :
    

    Today the tree right next to the old Jumpin’ J’s was cut down. I’m not sure what kind of tree it was. It was kind of crazy looking with cool blooms and big ear-like leaves. RIP crazy tree.

18. posted by Suzanne at June 14, 2008 6:07 am :
    

    The systematic taking of mature trees is occurring in every neighborhood. I live in Bellevue and can repeat the same sad story told about the trees on 27th Street. I urge everyone to keep calling and in particular to call the mayor’s office and Shelia Hill Christian.

    On June 17th at 5pm at City Hall there is a committee meeting convened by Kathy Graziano where the tree team will be either speaking or answering questions. I do not have more complete information, but would urge folks to descend on city hall and speak up for the trees!

19. posted by Suzanne at June 16, 2008 9:47 am :
    

    I just spoke with the city clerk’s office and learned that the Urban Forestry presentation has been cancelled for the June 17th meeting.
    Since there is citywide concern about the current tree policy I think it would be useful to call for a moratorium on tree removal until clarification can be achieved about the criteria for removing trees.

20. posted by Scott Burger at June 16, 2008 10:26 am :
    

    http://scfoj.tumblr.com/post/36528006/goldman-hugs-trees

21. posted by Mike Banta at June 16, 2008 11:45 am :
    

    As I drove down Clay to work this morning, the city was trimming trees just west of 25th Street.

22. posted by Bob at June 16, 2008 1:21 pm :
    

    Before you are all so critical of Mr. Brown who is doing a fine job, and who is a tree expert, Lest not forget that a few years back there was a hurricane that destroyed and uprooted many trees. Also, several years back, a large diseased tree in someones yard, uprooted and fell on a neighbor’s house and pulled wires and bricks from another neighbors house.(there wasn’t a storm, just a light wind) If the tree in question fell on your house, the complaint would be that the City is Not doing their job. which is it?

23. posted by john_m at June 16, 2008 2:28 pm :
    

    Today the tree right next to the old Jumpin’ J’s was cut down.

    That tree was on private property. Maybe they’re expanding the building?

    I think it would be useful to call for a moratorium on tree removal until clarification can be achieved about the criteria for removing trees.

    In talking to Norm, it is clear that those 2 trees on 27th Street really did have to come down. These were not, as had been communicated, trees that were merely interfering with lines.

    This issue then becomes one of communication — folks might not like to lose trees, but handle it better when they are given warning ahead of time and an explanation of what is going on.

    I’ve heard that a system of door hangers or postcards will be used to notify residents in the block around an impending tree removal. I’ve also had feelers from the city about being able to get that information out via CHPN.

24. posted by Bill Hartsock at June 16, 2008 3:21 pm :
    

    The trees were cut down on the Jumpin J’s lot because the owner is getting ready to do an expansion on the building. This has been in the works for some time.The owner’s name is Dillard Tupponce, if anyone would like to contact him about renting the space.

25. posted by lisa at June 17, 2008 9:15 am :
    

    I was told the owner of that building wants to have a ‘black’ version of the Hill Cafe. I believe Je did the foot work to get approval to do the expansion.

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