Residents curious about cherry tree removal

HAMDEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- Some people in Hamden were surprised to wake up and see saw in their neighborhood. They want to know why 10 cherry trees were removed abruptly.

On one Hamden side street, some long-time neighbors are having flashbacks.

"It was like the tornado of 89 all over again," Linda Connors said.

Connors was shocked to see no trees, just a lot of stumps lining Barraclough Ave.

"You don't cut down 10 23-year-old trees, so you can pave the road," Connors said. "If this were upper Hamden, there would've been 14 town meetings over it."

Mayor Scott Jackson says a town meeting wasn't even an option in this case. The trees had to be cut down.

"Last year, with the help of the south central regional council of governments, we actually had all of our roads surveyed," said Mayor Jackson. "That road was rated a zero on a scale of zero to 100. It has to be paved."

Mayor Jackson says the milling and paving machines weren't fitting.

Some neighbors like the change of scenery.

"I like the openness," said David James.

"Did anyone tell you they were cutting them down," asked News 8's Erin Logan.

"Yes. I saw them going door to door," said James.

Like neighboring streets, Connors questions why the trees weren't just trimmed. Once again, the Mayor says this wasn't an option.

"You can't take more than 25 percent of live wood off of a tree and have it remain by standard," Mayor Jackson said.

To make matters worse, Connors was told the stumps were going to stay as is. She says that's unacceptable.

The Mayor says the city is behind on stump grinding because the grinder failed, but the city will be back soon and then again.

"For the first time in a long time, we actually have in our capitol plan, approved by our legislative council, money for tree planting," the Mayor said.

That means all new trees will be lining this street.