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Not all trees are benign or benevolent. Some are downright hazards to property and pose safety and liability issues for homeowners if they're not trimmed or, in some cases, removed. One thing I've noticed in JC is that trees are often planted too close to buildings, resulting in roots that threaten the foundation and/or pipes. What's more, a nasty storm can easily knock a tree through someone's wall or roof.

I actually spoke to one of the homeowners where the trees were cut down. Turns out one of them was infected - it was half hollow and leaning way to the side. The other two on the public sidewalk were apparently interfering with the sewer system and the stability of the road. I can buy that because there have been about four or five sinkholes in as many years.

If property owners are responsible for the removal of snow and other hazards on city property in front of their homes and for sewer line repair (recently mentioned in a post here), why wouldn?t property owners have a say in the removal of trees? Trees not only lend themselves to quality of life and aesthetics but increase property value. I would certainly hope ?reverse staging? is not the reason but whatever the reason, residents need to speak up loudly about it. What a shame.

It's called reversed staging. It's due to all the shortsales and foreclosures going on. The politicians are getting kickbacks by investors to make the area look blighted so when the bank comes to appraise the property it comes in real low.

I live on 5th between Erie and Manilla, and three trees on the public sidewalk have been cut down lately. The largest one on the block at about five stories high, which was in a private yard, came down yesterday, making the count four. What the hell is going on with the uglification(TM) of my block?