Update: What Happened to the Trees on Quimby Street?
Two large trees were cut down near Scott's Shoes and Robert Treat Deli.
* Note: The story has been updated to include comments, in the final paragraphs, from Sherry Cronin made Friday morning.
Despite the fact that Westfield prides itself on its tree-lined streets, Quimby Street lost two of its two-to-three-foot wide trees recently.
Instead of the shade-offering trees that previously stood approximately 60 feet apart in front of Scott's Shoes and close to Robert Treat Deli, only stumps remain.
The receptionist at the Westfield Department of Public Works said the trees were cut down because the building owner wants to make repairs to the sidewalks.
Westfield resident Jeff Janota, who works as a town planner for an engineering and environmental consulting firm, said he was upset to see Quimby Street without its green canopy.
"(New trees will take) at least 50 years to grow back (to equal the size of those that were removed)," Janota said. "If the trees were dead or had the potential to cause harm to pedestrians and there were no way to save them according to an arborist or tree expert, then I understand. However, the town should have a tree ordinance that establishes criteria and standards for tree removal and maintenance. Trees can be a maintenance issue but they are also what sets Westfield apart from other towns."
Click here to view the Town's current tree removal permit as per General Ordinance No. 1806, adopted Sept. 10, 2002.
Janota said this is merely a permit and "not enough" especially when compared with ordinances other towns have in place.
The DPW's receptionist could not say if the trees were dead or a danger to pedestrians nor could she say if the building owner intends to plant new trees once the sidewalk work is completed. Two calls to DPW Supervisor Claude Shaffer for additional information were not returned.
Sherry Cronin, executive director of the Downtown Westfield Corporation, which oversees the maintenance and streetscape of the downtown, was unavailable for comment yesterday.
Friday morning Cronin said while it is sad to see the current "streetscaping look so different," she understands why the trees needed to be removed.
Cronin said she spoke with the DPW's Shaffer who said the building's owner is going to have "major underground electrical work" done. Cronin also said the owner said someone recently fell as a result of the sidewalk popping up from the tree's roots.
Earlier this season, a tree was removed on Quimby Street near Brick Oven following a pedestrian fall.
"The trees can be problematic for business owners," Cronin said. "If someone falls, they're sued even though it's a town tree."
The Town of Westfield will take care of the stump grinding as well as the planting of the new trees, she added.
Two of the trees are likely to be replaced though, Cronin noted, it might not be any time soon because of the impending heat of the summer. The third will not be replaced as its location is too close to a utility pole.
"It's going to look a little bare there for a while, unfortunately," said Cronin.
In This article
-
Scott's Shoes
109 Quimby St, Westfield, NJ (scottsshoes@comcast.net) -
Robert Treat Deli
113 Quimby St, Westfield, NJ -
Westfield Department of Public Works
959 North Avenue W, Westfield, NJ -
Downtown Westfield Corporation
105 Elm St # Ll, Westfield, NJ -
The Brick Oven
117 Quimby St, Westfield, NJ
GGG
7:56 am on Friday, June 1, 2012
I hope that these buisnesses didnt cut the trees down to make more room for outdoor dining... If that seems to be the case ...I for one will never eat there again... ))-:
Walter Korfmacher
8:07 am on Friday, June 1, 2012
I agree that large trees a part of what makes Westfield a great place to live. The town should look for ways to encourage homeowners and businesses to keep large trees (as long as they are healthy). The town should also do more to encourage curbside planting of new trees.
Sally McBride
8:30 am on Friday, June 1, 2012
When my mother visited she had trouble getting her wheel chair down there. Sorry to see them go, but I can see them being a problem
Keith
9:28 am on Friday, June 1, 2012
This is an absolute shame !!!!! We already have rules in place for tree removal, so how did this happen ? We should not stand for 6' replacements. Please stay on this Patch.
E Liz
10:45 am on Friday, June 1, 2012
That's really disappointing. Really makes the street look different & less charming. What a shame. From the photos, it doesn't look like the trees encroached any more on the sidewalk area than the light poles or the parking meters -- looks like there is at least another 5 or 6 feet (maybe more!) between where the tree was and where the buildings are. And they didn't look to be causing any bumps or cracks in the sidewalk, as trees sometimes do. I hope that whoever had them removed is obligated to grind out the stumps and plant replacement trees.
Ricky L.
11:17 am on Friday, June 1, 2012
Unfortunately, this is seen throughout the Town, where once tree-lined streets are now bare, the canopy gone. Trees are removed for a lot of reasons, but they are seldom replaced. As just one example, there were some beautiful large trees along Lenox and St. Paul Street that were removed a few years ago, and never replaced.
Common Sense
11:28 am on Friday, June 1, 2012
The permit is enough of a requirement for tree removal. The town has required only a permit for the last 10 years, and in that time, Westfield has kept its leafy appearance. The loss of a few trees downtown (which isn't exactly intended to be a park-like environment) would seem to pose no danger here that would justify further regulation. Passing new tree removal regulations in response to a few missing trees on Quimby street would be exactly the sort of over-reaction that leds people to wonder how we get so much regulation governing every aspect of our lives.
Pops Ferguson
12:32 pm on Friday, June 1, 2012
I'm stumped.
Sally McBride
2:30 pm on Friday, June 1, 2012
Pretty sure the town either new about this, or did this themselves
from 10.10 of the land use ordinance:
Tree Preservation Ordinance. The planting and/or removal of
street trees shall comply with all applicable provisions of the
Tree Preservation Ordinance of the Town of Westfield, Chapter 29A
of the Town Code.
and from 29A:
Sec. 29A-5. Tree preservation commission; membership; terms; appointment.
(a) Tree preservation commission. A tree preservation commission is hereby
created which shall assist the planning board in an advisory capacity on tree preservation and management matters pertaining to the town.
TFoTM
6:21 pm on Friday, June 1, 2012
I'll never go to Scott's Shoes or the Robert Treat Deli again and I will encourage everyone I know to do the same. Too bad about the risk of a lawsuit, it's part of being in business!
Swan
8:14 pm on Friday, June 1, 2012
That would be a great idea to drive business out of town. What a dumb commet.
TFoTM
12:23 am on Saturday, June 2, 2012
We have enough shoes & sandwiches!
Stop squacking Swan & clean up all your family’s crap in the Police parking lot. Stop eating that old soggy bread they throw at you!
BABY 1
9:12 am on Monday, June 4, 2012
I think it is a shame the trees are gone and should be replaced they are the Beauty of Westfield and coverd up the Dirty looking outside of Robert Treat!!!!!!!!!! Trees are beautiful they bring clean fresh air and beauty ,, AND WESTFIELD HAS THE LOOK OF CLEANESS SO LETS PROTECT IT .... TREES .....
harry
2:41 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
Oh No, It's armageddon in Westfield!