Who regulates cutting trees in Columbus / Victorian Village?

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Who regulates cutting trees in Columbus / Victorian Village?

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Started 2 years ago by Josh_W
Latest reply from Sethers33

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Josh_W
Short North
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I just overheard landscapers at the rental building next to my house complaining that the company that owns the property wants them to cut down the massive oak tree in the back yard. The tree is bigger than anything in Goodale park- about 25ft in diameter at the base- and beautiful. The owner considers it a nuisance because it disturbs a crappy sidewalk someone poured next to it 50 years ago and produces a TON of leaves every Fall - most of which end up in MY yard, where I bag them w/o complaint- well, w/o complaint to the owner. ;)

I'm not sure who to contact, and am worried that time is against me. I tried surfing around the City of Columbus website and called the number listed next to "Trees: legal rights" - that got me the City Attorney's office, and the secretary there transferred me to the people you call to get a fallen tree removed.

Posted 2 years ago #
rus

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Ummm... tree is on the owners property, not in a park or along a street?

Seems like the owner could do with it what they want. They own it, after all.

Posted 2 years ago #
Josh_W
Short North
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That may prove to be the case. I'm hoping that in a historic area like Victorian Village there's a way to stop them from removing a tree that's probably older than all the buildings on the block just because some slumlord doesn't want to pay to have the leaves raked.

Posted 2 years ago #
JackieC
Grandview
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I just PMed you, hopefully that info helps.

Posted 2 years ago #
rus

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However it turns out, would you let us know? I'll admit to being curious if there's something about a historical area which regulates trees.

Posted 2 years ago #
Bear
The woods
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I've seen complaints on Twitter about trees in Italian Village being taken out too, from residents. Don't know whether they were trees on or adjacent to property, but they were pretty clear that there would be an impact on property values. And they were pretty pissed, if I recall correctly.

Posted 2 years ago #
shroud
Polaris
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Maybe try 311, just for general information from a city standpoint? Or maybe try the Short North Civic Association?

That said, I don't know how I feel about trying to prevent the property owner from removing a tree from their own property... If it were someone else trying to remove it against the owner's wishes, that's one thing, but it's their land... and unless there's some kind of code that says otherwise, I think it's their choice.

Posted 2 years ago #
croft

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At least convince the owners to donate the wood to local wood craft artists and proceeds go to charity. Didn't this happen to one of the larger trees that fell in Goodale Park 2 yrs ago?

Posted 2 years ago #
Tenzo
Chicago Lakeshore
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If it's 25 feet in diameter call Guiness.

My neighbor, in German Village, has one so massive that you could put a spiral staircase inside it.

Anyway, if it's in the backyard, it's part of the owner's property. I'd be pretty upset if I decided to relandscape my backyard and someone told me how to do it.

Only time I remember it being a public issue was 25 years ago when Mr. T clear cut his backyard in a northern suburb of Chicago.
http://msgboard.snopes.com/message/ultimatebb.php?/ubb/get_topic/f/30/t/002558.html
They did enact a regulation against cutting down trees after that.

Posted 2 years ago #
labi
Weinland Park
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Consider talking to the landlord directly first, especially because you're concerned about something that you only overheard indirectly. (Maybe you've already done this.) You might also talk to the tree place's tenants - maybe they really like the tree and would be less likely to want to live there without it? That would be a compelling message to tell the owner. Is there anything you could offer to do that would alleviate some of the owner's reasons for removing the tree?

(I'm speaking as the owner of a property with a giant oak tree in the back yard. I was just as excited about acquiring the tree as I was about acquiring the house. My neighbors tell me every time they see me it should be cut down because they hate the twigs and leaves falling into their yard. I've learned to just walk away from those conversations. The tree will outlast all of us.)

Posted 2 years ago #
fresh

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I was told to ask the City code enforcement officer if it was ok, so I "didn't get in trouble". No one specified the 'trouble' I could get in, more like it was something to do to be neighborly. (this was in IV not VV) So I asked and got the OK. In your case that would be Sam Harachis @ 645-5992.
The other angle you could take is that fixing the sidewalk could cost the same as taking the tree down; maybe the owner could be convinced? As long as the tree is healthy, of course.

Posted 2 years ago #
HeySquare
German Village
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The Victorian Village Commission does have the power to regulate landscape features- typically that involves fences, pathways, walls, pools, fountains, that kind of thing, but it can also include plant materials, such as trees, which are considered permanent. The major problem is that most people cut first and ask forgiveness later... if they take the tree down, there isn't much the Commission can do except require the owners to plant a new tree somewhere on the property.

I believe code enforcement could issue a stop work order if a tree company comes to cut the tree down, but they would have to be called essentially as the work is in progress. If you know a date and time when the work is to take place, that is probably the only scenario where they could catch the work *before* the tree is damaged. You could call 311 and ask for the code enforcement officer for your area, they could provide further information.

Finally, even if a stop work order were issued, the owner can apply to the Commission for a certificate of appropriateness to remove the tree. The Commissions will require some information on the nature of the project. Areas of concern would be if the tree is damaging the house on the property (roots in the foundation, too close to the house, roots damaging utilities into the house, in danger of falling, etc), and the health of the tree. Unless the tree has some historic significance, a certificate of appropriateness will typically be approved.

Posted 2 years ago #
Rastapasta
Olde North
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I live in a crappy apartment on High Street so I am out of the loop out here-- but where I used to live in the Chicagoland area they could definitely tell you if you could/could not remove a tree from your personal property. You would need to get a permit before you cut it down and if you neglected to do so you were fined.

Posted 2 years ago #
Josh_W
Short North
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Tenzo wrote >>
If it's 25 feet in diameter call Guiness.
I'm just going by what the landscaper said- when he measured it 7 years ago it was 23' and while I watched he measured around the base using his feet. I may walk over with a tape measure later get a real number.

I'll see if I can track down the owner- it's one of those unmemorably-named property companies. Judging by the upkeep they do, I'm thinking that the expense of having the tree removed will be the most likely thing to save it. There are every kind of utility line running under its span, and it would take a guy in a cherry picker a week to whittle it down to something they can remove. Actually, the thing's at least 50 ft high- maybe 70 (it's hard to judge when there's nothing around it that comes close)- so none of the normal boom trucks could reach the top, and you can't get anything bigger than that into the alley. They'd have to find some lumberjack to shimmy up the thing with a chainsaw that can cut through 3ft. thick limbs and some sort of rope & tackle system to lower the branches around the tangle of utility lines below.

When I asked the landscaper if I'd overheard correctly, he said he won't do it, both because of the size and because he's pretty sure it's illegal.

Posted 2 years ago #
labi
Weinland Park
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Josh_W wrote >>

Tenzo wrote >>
If it's 25 feet in diameter call Guiness.

I'm just going by what the landscaper said- when he measured it 7 years ago it was 23' and while I watched he measured around the base using his feet.

If I'm remembering my geometry right, you might mean circumference (measurement around the outside of the tree) rather than diameter (measurement of the width of a cross-section)?

I too was thinking that the expense of removing the tree might be the key factor. Pouring a new sidewalk might be significantly cheaper. Especially because they can get away with installing a shitty sidewalk but it's going to be hard to find anyone who will be willing to do a cut-rate tree removal job on a tree of that size.

Definitely get in touch with your code officer asap. I don't know Mr Harachis, but the code officer in our neighborhood (Greg Davis) is a GREAT guy who will do whatever he can in situations like this. Unfortunately, because of some recent retirements, his area of responsibility has recently been about doubled, so his ability to intercede has been greatly reduced (just doesn't have the time). I hope this isn't the case with code enforcement in VV.

Good luck. It's heartening to know that you care and are trying to do something about it.

Posted 2 years ago #
NerosNeptune
Goodale Park
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Yes I think he means circumference,, which would make the diameter more like 9 feet.. still an impressive tree. At 25 feet it'd belong in a sequoia grove out west!

I think the most likely way for you to succeed is what labi said above.. See if you can talk to some of the people who live in the building. I'm sure they like having the big tree there. Unless there is some sort of danger to the building, that would give the landlord a good reason to leave it alone.

Posted 2 years ago #
misskitty
Columbus
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They could also be concerned about the utility lines under the ground. ItÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s no cheap fix if that trees roots happen to hit and grow into or disturb a gas or water line. You would be looking at thousands to fix that situation.

Posted 2 years ago #
Sethers33

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Save the trees! I hope it stays! We lost several in Goodale Park and a few biggies near W.5th Ave during the windstorm a few years ago. Sadness to see them go...no need to bring out the chainsaw b/c some slumlord is lazy.

Posted 2 years ago #