New Canaan Tree Warden Bruce Pauley will have the seven Bradford trees on Main Street removed within three weeks after a public hearing did nothing to change his mind.
"They failed to convince me that the trees could be made safe enough," said Pauley of the residents who showed up to the August 8 public hearing at Town Hall to try to save the trees.
Andrea Sandor, a New Canaan resident who completed a “Community Forest” evaluation for the town in 1999, presented a variety of alternatives, including a fiscal breakdown showing that removal and replacement of all seven trees, at a cost of $8,465, would be the most costly option.
"New Canaan spending on trees was meant to "shift" to a remove/maintain balance which better met resident’s expectations with regard to tree management," stated Sandor, who called for the public hearing. "Anecdotal evidence that the Town is not meeting resident’s expectations for managing this town asset is substantial and hasn’t changed over many years."
"Recent examples: town removal of specimen trees in Mead Park dedicated to Veteran, West Road Tree removals protested in Stamford Superior Court, Complete removal of all Locust Trees on Forest Street protested and re-evaluated, Mead Park Island clear-cut controversy and Irwin Park: large healthy estate Tree removal controversy," stated Sandor.
While Pauley agreed that residents argued a good case for how the trees could be safer, he said that there was no way the Bradfords could be made safe enough to remain growing on Main Street.
Pauley said five of the Bradfords will be replaced with three English Oaks and two Chinese Ginkgos at approximately 12 feet in height.
Find attached Sandor's presentation on cost/benefit.
