Street repair work will ax trees

The City Council has decided to undertake street repairs the length of Brush Drive, a move that will involve cutting down a number of mature trees. Brush Drive, between Waite Lane and Newland Street, has been awaiting street improvements, including removal of the city-owned parkway trees, since 1995.

Some residents didn’t want the trees to be cut down and have lobbied City Hall to remove only the ones whose roots were tearing up sidewalks and gutters.

Many residents who attended the City Council meeting Monday were in favor of undertaking the work on the entire street, saying roots of the mature trees were adversely affecting storm drains.

Councilman Keith Bohr, the only council member to vote against the move, said it was a waste of resources to reverse the City Council’s previous decision.

City Atty. Jennifer McGrath said if the city stayed with its earlier decision of tearing out only the trees that were damaging sidewalks and gutters, the city could be liable for damages. The city plans to allow residents to have a say as to what trees will be planted on their street.

Theresa Chaque, who fought to keep the trees on Brush Drive, said the trees helped give the neighborhood its character.

Chaque pointed out that creep myrtles, a variety of tree proposed for the street, couldn’t provide the feel and appearance of a proper tree even after several years of planting it.

Councilwoman Debbie Cook agreed with the assessment and said: “You really can’t expect much from them. We had these [creep myrtles] planted in downtown for 15 years before they had to be yanked out of the ground.”