As I understand the city (park and forestry) is responsible for the tree including removing those that are unhealthy. Where things get tricky is when an owner shaves a tree roots to even his/her sidewalk and the tree becomes a liability. Then who is responsible?

Thanks Kelsey. Logically, is it the property owner direcly adjacent to the messed up portion of the sidewalk who is responsible?

Yep, that's my understanding....that the property owner is responsible to the end of the curb. My understanding is also that the property owner is liable for any injuries that result from the uneven sidewalks. I'm surprised we don't hear about lawsuits related to this. I've tripped and fallen twice walking around downtown but was lucky to only end up with a few scrapes and bruises.

The east side sidewalk on Coles St., between Pavonia and 9th, has become exceedingly treaturous due to the large tree and its roots. According to City Hall, the City is not responsible for repairing sidewalks, but rather, residents must pay for a contractor to remove trees and fix sidewalks. Can this be true? Does this mean I can freely remove trees that I don't like? How can this be?