Residents of a Gilbert neighborhood are fighting to keep the town from removing several long-standing eucalyptus trees.
The town began removing the eucalyptus trees in the College Park Country Estates in 1996 over concerns that limbs — and the trees themselves — could fall and cause damage. But the project was halted when residents protested.
The town recently revived the issue with the approximately 40 trees at maintains in the right-of-way in College Park Country Estates, citing several incidents over the past year. The large, decades-old trees provide shade and aesthetic value to the neighborhood near Guadalupe and Lindsay roads. But the town says the large trees and their limbs pose a safety risk.
“If a limb were to drop on a person or a pet, it would cause significant injury if not kill someone. So because the town knows that these are a risk, we have a responsibility to mitigate that risk as best we can, which would mean removing just those trees," said Jessica Marlow, the town’s public works director.
But the neighborhood is again protesting — including Brendyn Wood, a life-long resident of the area.
“You know they're saying that these trees are a hazard. And, you know, this is the streets department saying this, the streets department is not qualified to deem the tree a hazard," he said.
The town is working with homeowners to accept maintenance responsibility and liability for trees adjacent to their property.
The Town Council has agreed to delay tree removal until at least March 2025.
