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Lowville DPW Superintendent Cites Safety Concerns as
Approximately a Dozen Trees Removed Along State Street in Downtown
Published: May 01, 2024 at 07:30
p.m.
By: Nick Altmire
Approximately a dozen trees lining the downtown
section of South State Street in the Village of Lowville
are being removed by DPW crews due to safety concerns.
Lowville, NY- Village
Department of Public Works (DPW) crews began the process of removing
approximately a dozen trees along South State Street in the village’s
downtown this morning, coming as a surprise to many of the downtown
businesses and residents.
Crews were out
early this morning to start the work, delimbing the trees and removing the
debris. Over the coming days the work will continue with the removal of the
remaining trunks and stumps. Crews will then replace the trees with large
potted flowers and some new trees that may be a better fit for the downtown
section of the village.
The removed trees
are along both sides of South State Street in the core of downtown, between
the shoulder of the road and the sidewalk, from the Dayan Street/Shady
Avenue intersection to just north of Elm Street. They were planted in 2015
after the completion of a NYS DOT project that widened the intersection on
Dayan Street.
There was quite the buzz in the village throughout the morning, both
from the sounds of the chainsaws and the reaction from residents,
businesses, and those who work in the village. Most of the people I spoke
with didn’t want to be quoted or identified, but the consensus seemed to
feel that the trees provided a nice aesthetic to downtown and were
surprised to see them being removed.
“The bottom line
is that these trees were becoming a safety hazard and getting too large for
the downtown section of the village,” DPW Superintendent Paul Denise said.
“As a village we have a responsibility, not only to the business owners,
but the traveling public as well. The trees in question were blocking road
signs, impeding pedestrian traffic on sidewalks, in addition to other
issues.”
A
majority of the trees were diseased or had issues in the root
systems from the amount of salt used by the State along the street during
the winter months, according to Mr. Denise.
Mr. Denise said
that he understands “people are up in arms about this” but asks residents
and businesses to be patient as the Village implements its vision for the
downtown section.
“Moving forward
there will be flowering pots installed and every other space will have a
tree that will be smaller and blossom for more than a few weeks each year,”
Mr. Denise explained. “I am currently working with a landscaping company to
identify a tree that will withstand all of the elements here and not become
as large and overgrown as the existing trees.”
The trees were
becoming so large that the roots were starting to become an issue to
sidewalks, which can be lifted in sections as the root system expands. By
removing the trees now, this problem can be avoided in a proactive manner,
Mr. Denise said.
One business
owner I spoke with was Brandon Hellinger. He and his wife Meghann own three
businesses in this section of downtown- The Bateman Draft House, Drift Day
Spa, and Munch. Much of what I heard from Mr. Hellinger was similar to what I was hearing from others who didn’t
want to speak on the record.
“While I
understand the necessity for signs to be visible and easily read, I believe
that when a decision is being made that impacts downtown businesses as a
whole like this, some prior notification from the Village would be
appreciated,” Mr. Hellinger said.
Others had the
same sentiment, noting some advanced notice that this would be happening
and what the plan going forward was may have alleviated some of their
questions and/or concerns.
Mr. Hellinger
said he did like the aesthetic the trees provided to downtown and was happy
to learn that the Village intends to replace some of the removed trees with
a smaller, less intrusive tree. One of the removed trees was directly in
front of Munch., and helped block some of the
afternoon sun from beating through the front window, Mr. Hellinger pointed
out as we spoke at the eatery, adding that he will definitely miss that
aspect.
Mr. Denise said
that once crews complete the project in the coming weeks, residents and
businesses should have a final result that will
help fulfill the Village’s vision for a beautified and inviting downtown
section.
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