45.0°,
Partly Cloudy More trees come down
Village culls foliage as road resurfacing work continues
A few blocks in Rockville Centre are starting to look a lot less shady. And for some residents, that’s not a good thing.
As part of its annual road resurfacing program, the village has been milling streets — removing their surface so they can be repaved. And workers have also cut down some curbside trees, leaving some formerly tree-lined streets much sunnier than they were a few weeks ago.
But residents have voiced concerns about how cutting back healthy trees on streets like Arrandale and Devon Road — which are known for their tall, lush foliage — will change the character of the neighborhood. “My concern is that it will completely change the look and feel of the block,” said Gerard Duffy, a Devon Road resident who is contemplating the removal of two large trees in front of his house.
About four miles of roadway are scheduled to be replaced this year. A licensed arborist examines the trees on the roads where work is scheduled. If they are diseased, the village will recommend removing them. But it will make a similar recommendation if workers have to cut away roots to do work beneath the road to replace and upgrade water and electrical infrastructure.
A letter sent to residents of the affected roads stated that if homeowners opt not to have the trees removed after their roots have been cut, the village will not be responsible for any damage the trees might cause if they fall. Under normal circumstances, if a tree falls on a street during a storm, the village will remove it, but if it falls on a home, it is the homeowner’s responsibility. The letter serves as a warning to residents that they may be better off electing to take down trees that may appear healthy but may have been weakened by the work underground.
“When we do the curbs, we will, in some instances, trim back roots,” Harry Weed, the superintendent of public works, told the Herald. “In a storm, when you get the high winds, the potential for those trees to blow over is a lot greater.”
The village is offering to remove the trees for free. And, if residents wish, the village will replace them, too — also free of charge, if the location meets certain requirements.
