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LEHI — The city of Lehi began the process of removing more than 300 trees from a neighborhood, despite complaints from residents who claim the move will reduce the value of their homes and decrease their curbside appeal.
The City Council approved the decision in July, in order to limit the city's liability. The trees — many of which have lined the Olympic Park neighborhood streets for nearly 20 years — have lifted the sidewalk by 3 or 4 inches in some places. Council members say they worry the city could be held responsible for any injuries that result, because the trees are located on city-owned park strips throughout the neighborhood.
Residents in Olympic Park say they understand the need to reduce liability, but that the decision has an outsized impact on the value of their homes and quality of life. Some have accused the city of making a unilateral decision without providing room for adequate input from homeowners.
Anne-Marie Mickelsen said the mayor told residents they could have a neighborhood meeting to discuss different options, but when she asked who would coordinate the meeting, he said, "Someone will be in touch." She said she didn't hear any more from the city until she received a letter informing her that the plan to remove all the trees was going forward.
"One neighbor called the letter a 'middle finger from the city' because it sounded like they were doing us a favor," Mickelsen said via email. "We were given the option to meet with some city employees to ask questions but the decision had already been made and it felt like they were trying to placate us."
A Lehi spokesperson said city representatives knocked on every single door in the impacted neighborhood, to speak with residents and give them a chance to respond.
"Personally I am very sympathetic to the removal of these trees and wanted the homeowners to be contacted individually by staff to discuss the problem and propose what the city could do to mitigate the situation," Lehi Mayor Mark Johnson said in a written statement on Thursday. "My understanding is that every household affected was contacted and offered that meeting. The situation is obviously unfortunate, but when safety, accessibility and liability become part of the equation, an extremely difficult decision must be made."
In a letter sent on Sept. 15, the Lehi streets and parks departments told residents that the original developers planted flowering pear trees in the park strips, which have "proven to be a nuisance over time." Because of the trees' root structure and weak branches, the city has no choice but to remove all of the trees.
"Unfortunately at this point, the only way to address the problems caused by the narrow park strips is to remove trees that are out of compliance and (are) a safety hazard, and then repair the displaced sidewalks and curb," the letter said.
A later update told residents the tree removal would begin on Nov. 7, with an anticipated completion date of Nov. 18.
Jordan Jensen, another Olympic Park resident, said that since the work has begun, he sees a "night and day difference" in the neighborhood.
"It sucks to be honest," he said, adding that he plans to actively campaign against the mayor and city council members when they're up for reelection.
The city has offered residents a $200 voucher per household to replace any removed trees with trees that are approved for a park strip of that size. Mickelsen said the amount is well below the cost of planting a new tree. She said one of her neighbors had four trees removed and the $200 wouldn't even cover replacing one.
Having large trees — like those that are being cut down — in yards can increase a home's value between 3% and 15%, according to a 2007 study. Residents worry that the city's plan could likewise decrease their property value, even if they plant trees of their own.
"My main issue is, again, the lack of communication," Mickelsen said. "If you're going to affect someone's property value and way of life, wouldn't it be at least courteous to explain why this is the only and/or best option the city has? Just felt like they went ahead and did what they wanted without any regard for how it would affect us. The more people learned about it the angrier they got. So sad it had to turn out this way."
