Yesterday there was a lot of talk about trees. Early in the day, word spread that a major tree in Cherry Alley behind 445 Warren Street was being cut down. That sadly was true. Soon after that, the rumor reached Gossips that no new trees could be planted on Warren Street. If an existing tree had to be removed, no tree would be planted to take its place. That, thank goodness, was not exactly true.According to DPW Superintendent Rob Perry, the tree planting policy on Warren Street has changed, but there is no prohibition on planting trees. During the installation of the new streetlights it was discovered that in the past people planting trees had pushed aside the conduit carrying the power for the streetlights to make room for the tree's root ball. As a result, some conduit was badly bend and some now inextricably entwined with the roots of trees. Going forward, the City, working with National Grid, will require that the conduit be rerouted around the spot where a tree will planted. There is a cost associated with this which, according to Perry, must be borne by the property owner wishing to plant the tree.
No new tree has been planted near the South corner of 6th and Warren, where a pretty dead tree was taken down at least a year ago. It would be a nice policy that if a tree is taken down a new one is planted, but I guess that is not so. I think it is up to the shop owner to buy a tree and it used to be the City would plant it. With regard to the conduits tangled in the roots that must have happened with the big linden tree
ReplyDeleteoutside 612 Warren, as they chopped away at the roots and then filled in a lot of the space with cement. I do hope that that gracious large and shady tree survives.
Back when the sidewalks were installed around 1999 many thought the City was going to plant trees on Warren Street. This was never the case. Trees are welcomed but it's up to the property owner to plant their tree. The DPW will remove a tree when asked specifically by the property owner.
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