By Mike Gervais
Register Staff

4-5-2008

Despite the opportunity to have a certified arborist survey two trees in Independence, free of charge to the county, Road Department crews will be cutting down two evergreen trees in Independence.
After two public meetings and many comments about the benefit     of trees to the community of Independence, the Inyo County Board of Supervisors elected to stick with its 2005 decision to remove what it has claimed is a public safety hazard.

Residents spoke of the beauty, wind-break and shade the trees provide, and pleaded that the trees be saved at the supervisor’s meeting last week, when the complainant, David Cantrell, was unable to attend due to medical problems.
But this week, when Cantrell had his chance to speak, he told the supervisors of the problems the trees cause, the dangers of hanging branches – what he calls “widow-makers” – and the opportunities residents have had, before now, to speak to the benefits of the trees.
“They’ve had two years to come over here and object,” Cantrell said of the residents who were attempting to save the trees.
Cantrell,  of 103 N. Clay St., first filed his complaint about the two deodor cedars that are located in a county right-of-way in front of his house in 2005.
Cantrell claimed the trees lose limbs during high winds and cause a hazard for his home and property, as well as residents walking on the street.

David Cantrell addresses the Inyo County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, requesting that it uphold a previous board decision to remove two trees from a county right-of-way near his property. Cantrell claims the trees are a hazard to his property and to vehicles parked on the street. Photo by Mike Gervais

The Inyo County Board of Supervisors agreed to cut the two trees down, noting that it had previously been found liable for damages falling limbs from the trees caused to a fence at Cantrell’s home.
At the time of Cantrell’s request to remove the trees, Inyo County Road Department did not have the equipment necessary to carry out the Board of Supervisors’ orders.
For two more years the trees stood tall before the road crews were able to rent the necessary equipment, namely a cherry picker tall enough to reach the tops of the trees.
But as soon as the crews and equipment were ready to begin cutting down the trees – approximately two weeks ago – several residents from Independence protested and asked the Board of Supervisors to save the trees.
At the behest of citizens, the Inyo County Board of Supervisors scheduled a discussion regarding the trees at last week’s board meeting. Although Cantrell was unable to attend, the board opted to hear testimony from the residents that had gathered and re-agendize the discussion for this week’s meeting to hear Cantrell’s concerns.
On Tuesday Cantrell also told the board that a neighbor removed a similar tree down the street from his home last summer – and no one complained then.
According to Cantrell, he has waited patiently for two years to have the trees removed, but enough is enough.
“I want a final solution, I want those trees taken out, they cause the sewer to plug up, they cause flooding” and they cause a public safety hazard,” Cantrell said.
Cantrell was the only member of the audience at Tuesday’s meeting that spoke in favor of the removal of the trees.
Independence resident Kirk Peterson said that one of the greatest treasures of Independence is the “mature” shade trees, and the beauty they provide.
“What I’m interested in is the health of the trees. One of the first steps should be to have these trees evaluated,” Peterson said.
The Independence Civic Club agreed with Peterson and wrote a letter to the Board of Supervisors, requesting a 30-day extension on the board’s decision about the trees, to allow time for an appraisal of the trees.
The Civic Club said it was involved in talks with a certified arborist, and hoped to have that person evaluate the trees within the next month and report to the county with a recommendation.
“These trees were evaluated according to our current county tree policy,” said First District Supervisor Linda Arcularius. “This discussion is not about the value of the trees,” but about a public safety hazard, and the county’s liability, she said.
“If I’ve learned anything, trees don’t belong in right-of-ways,” she added.
Supervisors Richard Cervantes and Susan Cash both expressed an interest in the trees being replaced after the road department removes them from the right-of-way, but also agreed that the board’s 2005 decision should stand.
“Maybe we should plant some trees to replace those trees” after they are cut down, Cervantes said, “but a public safety issue has been raised” and must be dealt with.