Trees were recently cut down on Greenridge Lane (top) and at Lincoln Woods. Photos: Alice Waugh
By Alice Waugh
In scenes reminiscent of the controversy over the Route 2 tree-cutting in 2013, residents on Greenridge Lane and Lincoln Woods were surprised and unhappy when a number of mature trees near their homes were recently cut down.
About eight trees were felled on December 10 and 11 near the apartments of 2 and 4 Greenridge Lane close to the intersection with Ridge Road. Last month, several large trees were also cut down in the Lincoln Woods apartment complex.
Greenridge Lane residents were notified last week that there would be tree work intended to prevent damage to buildings and cars this winter, but they were dismayed by the extent of the cutting and complained to their landlord.
“The place is starting to not even resemble the beautiful forested spot that attracted us to these apartments in the first place,” several residents said in a December 10 email to James Sullivan of Sullivan and Co. in Braintree, which owns the buildings.
“Of the eight trees cut down yesterday and today, none were in danger of hurting the buildings and they were all healthy. Our place now just has this forest of stumps in front of it. Looks terrible with the dumpster there and the ugly parking lot,” Trevor Berens of 4 Greenridge Rd. said the next day.
In response to the complaint, Sullivan wrote back that the trees “have been a maintenance and safety problem for years, with limbs falling down damaging cars, roofs and disrupting power.” They were also shading roofs of buildings enough to delay their drying after rain, which was promoting growth of moss and mildew on the buildings.
“I am sorry that you don’t like our solution to these problems; it has alway be in our interest to maintain a high standard. If you feel that this is disrupting your enjoyment of your unit, we are willing to let you out of your lease early with no penalty,” Sullivan wrote.
In a brief phone call with the Lincoln Squirrel on Wednesday, Sullivan refused to comment.
Workers for The Community Builders, Inc. (TCB), which owns Lincoln Woods, cut down several trees in November as part of a project to renovate some units, upgrade walkways, add parking spaces and do landscaping. The company received Planning Board approval for changes to their site plan in June.
Noah Sawyer, senior project manager for TCB, told the board that mature pine trees were blocking much of the natural light and causing damage to the cedar shingles of the units as well as posing a threat to buildings in a destructive storm. He submitted a landscape plan showing the trees to be removed as well as a list of replacement plantings to be installed at the end of the project.
After residents complained to him and town officials when trees were cut down, Sawyer told Town Administrator Tim Higgins and Conservation Director Thomas Gumbart in an email that Kathy Schreiber, TCB’s landscape architect, had recommended the work.
“This site is already over-vegetated, and the woods are not healthy, as they have been ignored for way too long. By removing some of these trees, it will actually create a better environment for the trees that are to remain,” Sawyer quoted Scheiber as saying.
“We will be adding new plantings in the spring in many areas, as well as giving some of the existing trees new opportunities for growth. I’ll also add that we’ve received lots of positive feedback as well. Residents appreciate improved natural light, as well as being happy that they don’t have to spend time picking pine sap from their cars,” Sawyer wrote. “Our goal is to maintain our green spaces in a sustainable manner, and make sure the site also keeps its character.”
Unless a tree is in or close to wetlands, property owners do not need a permit to trim or cut down trees, said Conservation Director Thomas Gumbart. As trees close to buildings get bigger, they can indeed block light and pose a risk in storms, as well as buckling sidewalks with their roots.
“There are a lot of issues and feeling and passions about trees,” Gumbart observed. “Over time, trees grow, and it’s just a natural cycle that you need to do tree work periodically. It’s one of the tougher issues we deal with.”
Property owners generally cut down many trees at a time rather than spacing out work over time because of the high cost of bringing in bucket trucks, cranes and chippers. “A big part of the expense is just getting the crew on site,” he said.
A century ago, Lincoln looked very different, since there were only a few isolated trees and woodlots; most of the land was pasture crisscrossed by stone walls. “Things will grow back,” Gumbart said.
Are there any town rules governing the removal of large trees dead for more than a year on private property but close to well traveled town roads and that could possibly eventually fall over and hit passing cars? When is it clear that a dead tree is a hazard to safety and should be removed?
Thanks for the story – I was wondering what was up. I hope that both landlords pay for stump grinding and new plantings. It would help a lot.