City to Remove 4 Hazardous Trees from Historic District

August 20, 2010

Annapolis, MD (08-20-10) -- Mayor Joshua J. Cohen announces that City officials will cut down four aging trees in the Historic District next week because of safety concerns.

The declining trees were identified by City Arborist Jan van Zutphen on Duke of Gloucester and Conduit streets. A 75-year-old willow and northern red oak will be removed on Duke of Gloucester, as well as a 50-year-old Siberian elm and a 30-year-old Linden tree on Conduit. All four trees are about 40 feet tall.
    
Van Zutphen, landscape architect and tree expert Jim Urban and certified arborist and tree consultant Tom Mayer determined that sections of the trees near the base were hollow, making them a significant risk to come down. All three agreed that the trees must be removed immediately. Separately, several residents petitioned the City in support of removing one of the trees on Conduit as soon as possible.

“The trees pose an unacceptable risk to public safety and property,” Mayor Cohen said. “I have been informed by City officials and two independent tree experts that the trees need to be brought down. The next severe thunderstorms could be responsible for their collapse, not to mention the property damage the trees could cause upon their collapse.”

The work on Duke of Gloucester Street may take two to three days. Davey Tree Experts and Royal Tree Service will take down the trees, and they have agreed to receive payment in November. Lewis Tree Service (a BGE contractor) will provide 10 feet of clearance of the power lines. The cost for removal of the four trees will be $9,071.
 
Flyers went out to area residents that live near the affected trees on Thursday, Aug. 19, notifying residents of the removal.

The decision to take down the trees comes after officials from the Department of Environment and Neighborhood Programs went before the Historic Preservation Commission last month, requesting the removal of three trees. The request was withdrawn because the HPC lacked the following information: 1) the precise locations of where the replacement trees would be planted; 2) a policy on when trees should be replaced; and 3) a long-range plan for tree management in the Historic District. (Already, the City Code and the state Department of Natural Resources give the City broad authority to manage trees in Annapolis.)

In a letter sent to the City Arborist, HPC Chair Sharon A. Kennedy wrote, “The HPC can not approve demolition without plans. The only exception to this process is if the structure is deemed to be a public safety hazard.  It is clear that in your expert opinion this is the case.”

City officials received administrative approval to take down a fourth tree, on Conduit Street, because it was determined to be more than 50 percent dead.

The City will go before the HPC on Sept. 14 with detailed information on the replacement trees.

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