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News Brief
9/8/2010 9:43:40 AM
Tree falls on Sprague house
A section of a Black Locust tree on Sprague Avenue fell earlier this week, damaging a home.
The trees lining Sprague Avenue have been the subject of scrutiny in recent months, as residents have petitioned to have them removed, saying they're a hazard to pedestrians, motorists and homes.
The fallen tree at Sprague Avenue and Hillview damaged the home's roof, said neighbor Gene Midkiff, who also is on a committee to address the Black Locust trees.
"These trees have been deemed unsafe," he said in a letter to The Splash.
Earlier this year, residents petitioned the city to remove all the trees lining the street, but after consulting with three arborists, city officials decided to address the trees in stages, beginning with the removal of two in the coming year and hazardous pruning of 22 other trees. Advertisement
"Our task is to keep the neighborhood intact, try to keep that canopy intact. But safety is the first concern," Mayor Wendy Van Orman said in early July. "Clear-cut is not an option for me. … Some can live another 20 years."
The city is trying to work with Spokane County on the issue, Van Orman has said, because the city border is Sprague Avenue, and homeowners who live on the south side are county residents. The county-owned Liberty Lake Golf Course also runs along the north side of the street, which is within city limits.
Removing trees can cost up to $800 and replacing them up to $250, Van Orman said.
City staff has said residents have complained about individual trees along Sprague Avenue over the years, and the city has taken measures to trim problem branches. But this year was the first request for a wholesale cutting of the trees.
Submitted photos
A Black Locust tree causes damage to a Sprague Avenue home. Residents have asked city officials to remove the trees, which homeowners say are a hazard to pedestrians, vehicles and houses. |
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