MillionTreesNYC to Create Million Headaches?
The MillionTreesNYC plan will foster the planting of a million new trees across the five boroughs by 2017. Besides improving air quality and beautifying the city, “Trees increase property value, and encourage neighborhood revitalization,” says the program’s website. However, tree roots can wreak havoc on sidewalks and sewers. The city will repair sidewalks torn up…
The MillionTreesNYC plan will foster the planting of a million new trees across the five boroughs by 2017. Besides improving air quality and beautifying the city, “Trees increase property value, and encourage neighborhood revitalization,” says the program’s website. However, tree roots can wreak havoc on sidewalks and sewers. The city will repair sidewalks torn up by tree roots, but it can take up to a year to get a piece of buckled sidewalk repaired by the city. In the meantime, “The city is responsible for any trip-and-fall cases involving tree roots in front of a three-family home or smaller,” the New York Daily News reports.
The city doesn’t pay for and damage done to sewer pipes by tree roots, though. And in order to replace a root-damaged sewer, a contractor needs a permit from the Parks Department and a hired arborist to oversee the process—which can make the project take twice as long as usual. Has anyone experienced major problems with trees on their property? Is a leafy neighborhood worth the occasional headache?
Mayor’s Plan Leaves Homeowners Up a Tree [NY Daily News]
Photo by MillionTreesNYC.
“What’s next? Are we going to complain about the birds?”
As a matter of fact there is a large penguin that has been hanging around outside for the past few days….If he trips and falls on a tree root things could get ugly..
The roots from a tree in my neighbor’s backyard have destroyed the brickwork in my own. What can be done to mitigate the damage and preserve the tree?
I admit. I cannot tell a lie. I did cut down the Catalpa tree in my yard.
BTW, if you have a one [and ,I think two] family house the City is still responsible.
So if you have a 4 family brownstone, you are responsible for the sidewalk instead of the city? That’s not good.
Except Pigeon – Plaintiff Firms have people who just go out an inspect every sidewalk and file any and all cracks with the city – thereby rendering the “notice” aspect irrelevant.
lol, brenda from flatbush,
I love those trees from Lord of The Rings.
I’ve got a huge Maple in my backyard that I inherited,
and it’s still growing!
Don’t have the heart to chop it down though.
I’m hoping to sell and move before the need arises,
if ever.
I feel your pain about the squirrels who use the branches as a superhighway. 😉
“What’s next? Are we going to complain about the birds?”
Posted by: Maly at March 1, 2010 10:13 AM
🙂
BTW, as to liability, I believe the city is liable for trip and fall cases only where the city has actual notice of the defect that caused the trip and fall.
But a nice story about the success of the tree program doesn’t sell papers. We have to be whipped up into a frenzy of panic and fear.
‘Scuse me- I have to find an axe and cut down the magnificent locust in the backyard before its branches come through the window some night and throttle me. Wouldn’t want to deprive benson of the honor 😉