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Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
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Re: Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
Posted by ElizaRags35
I was just on seaman neck rd for the first time in awhile and I can't get over how different it looks without the trees. DH and I noticed it immediately. It looks terrible! I already signed the petition but if I hadnt, I definitely would sign it now.
I haven't had a chance to drive past since they removed the 175 oak trees last month, but heard about it in the news, those trees were gorgeous and provided a canopy that was a treat to drive past and through.
What does the street look like now? Are they working on sidewalk repair? Is there just stumps? I can imagine it looks barren like certain parts of S. Oyster Bay Road where work already has commenced. 
Thank you for signing, and to all who have spread the word--we are up to 300 petition signatures since this we started organizing on Thursday and I'm hoping the County will reevaluate the plan and come up with a solve that can save as many trees as possible. It would be an absolute crime for 400+ trees to be removed within a month between these two tree removal projects.
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Posted 9/28/14 6:30 PM  |
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wakemeup
Member since 10/13 1397 total posts
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Re: Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
Can someone explain to me why the mass tree removal is so bad?
I am very familiar with Seamans Neck in Seaford, my in-laws live right there. The sidewalks were absolutely destroyed by the tree roots. What other solution did they have?
They plan on planting new trees, that I know, so IMO it's not really a bad thing. It will look weird temporarily but that happens with most restoration projects.
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| Posted 9/28/14 8:40 PM |
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Re: Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
Posted by wakemeup
Can someone explain to me why the mass tree removal is so bad?
I am very familiar with Seamans Neck in Seaford, my in-laws live right there. The sidewalks were absolutely destroyed by the tree roots. What other solution did they have?
They plan on planting new trees, that I know, so IMO it's not really a bad thing. It will look weird temporarily but that happens with most restoration projects.
The impact to the environment, for starters, and, the fact that these trees are decades-old, and healthy. The neighborhood aesthetics will forever change. The sidewalks on S. Oyster Bay Road are NOT in the condition of the sidewalks on Seaman's Neck Road. They are perfectly walkable, with only a handful of slabs over 4.4 miles warranting attention. There are researched, evidence-based methods to tree preservation in scenarios where tree roots are causing progressive damage to sidewalks--methods that involve saving and preserving the trees while at the same time improving the condition of the sidewalks and in turn, improving pedestrian safety.
Further, a project of this scale should involve meaningful input from the communities of impact. Without the assistance of Project STOMP, this project would have commenced in the same way it did in Seaford. Little notice, huge destruction. Once a tree is cut down, it will never return. This is irreparable damage. There is no guarantee or confirmation of 1x1 replacement of trees, btw. And, most replacement projects in the county involve the planting of dwarf trees that reach a height of only a few feet at full maturity. The 30-40' trees that are there now will never return. Meaning, you'll never have the tree canopy or boulevard-feel that you do have in these neighborhoods ever again if this work continues as is.
In my experience in other neighborhoods and cities, when a project of this scope commences, involving local, county and state funds, all residents must be meaningfully notified. In advance. And, a public forum, information meetings must be conducted. None of this occurred in Seaford, or for the neighborhoods affected by this South Oyster Bay Road project.
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| Posted 9/28/14 10:34 PM |
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lisa0807
LIF Adolescent
Member since 4/10 572 total posts
Name:
Lisa
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Re: Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
Received this email
Sep 30, 2014 — NEW MILESTONE REACHED: 350 Signatures!! We send our sincerest thanks for taking the time to sign the Operation STOMP: Save Trees Over More Pavement Petition, supporting our cause and in turn informing local officials of your opposition regarding this project, and most importantly, spreading the word in a meaningful way.
We are also sending this note to inform you of an exciting opportunity to get this story publicized on television for the first time--we are looking for 2-3 additional local residents from the area who would be willing to speak to the News 12 tomorrow morning, Tuesday, September 30, at 10:00 a.m. regarding the scheduled demolition of 180+ trees from S. Oyster Bay Road. Each person will provide a brief but meaningful comment--it shouldn't take very long, we assure you, it's your chance to really have your voice heard! Please contact [email protected] as soon as possible if you are interested in participating and we will provide you with the specifics. The trees of S. Oyster Bay Road lovingly send their thanks!
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| Posted 9/30/14 9:07 AM |
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wakemeup
Member since 10/13 1397 total posts
Name:
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Re: Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
Posted by OperationStomp
And, most replacement projects in the county involve the planting of dwarf trees that reach a height of only a few feet at full maturity. The 30-40' trees that are there now will never return. Meaning, you'll never have the tree canopy or boulevard-feel that you do have in these neighborhoods ever again if this work continues as is.
That might be a good thing. Aesthetically it won't be the same but those trees needed to be trimmed constantly to avoid interference with power lines. IMO it would be smarter to plant dwarf trees. If you want a shade tree plant it on your own property.
Also, it isn't always a good thing to hold public hearings regarding county property, because then you get masses of uninformed people who just want to come out and complain when in reality they know very little about the topic.
Not saying that what they are doing is 100% in the best interests of the public but you can't really believe they are doing this blindly without proper research?
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| Posted 9/30/14 10:41 AM |
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sunnyflies
LIF Adult
Member since 9/09 1757 total posts
Name:
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Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
Trust me, they are probably doing it without public notice, and maybe without notifying the local government as well.
In my town, Southampton, we had no notice, nor did Town Hall. I stopped LIPA and Asplundh, but it took a huge effort. I knew its crews had hit a town on the North Fork and had decimated a long stretch, and I didn't want that to happen here, so I went into immediate action. I also called the Supervisor of East Hampton Town, who I knew, to warn him about what was happening and within days he had legislation passed that anyone wanting to cut down a tree with a 10" diameter or larger along a road in his town had to get the town's approval. Other towns have done that as well in order to protect their trees and streetscapes.
Good Luck Stomp! I'll be looking for you on Channel 12 today.
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| Posted 9/30/14 11:19 AM |
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Re: Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
Posted by wakemeup
Posted by OperationStomp
And, most replacement projects in the county involve the planting of dwarf trees that reach a height of only a few feet at full maturity. The 30-40' trees that are there now will never return. Meaning, you'll never have the tree canopy or boulevard-feel that you do have in these neighborhoods ever again if this work continues as is.
That might be a good thing. Aesthetically it won't be the same but those trees needed to be trimmed constantly to avoid interference with power lines. IMO it would be smarter to plant dwarf trees. If you want a shade tree plant it on your own property.
Also, it isn't always a good thing to hold public hearings regarding county property, because then you get masses of uninformed people who just want to come out and complain when in reality they know very little about the topic.
Not saying that what they are doing is 100% in the best interests of the public but you can't really believe they are doing this blindly without proper research?
Importantly, to start, I must reiterate that this was a public works project that began in June (bidding), and, the Nassau County DPW failed to notify residents in a timely, adequate, comprehensive matter. The details that have been brought to light are solely based upon and due to the work of Operation STOMP. I write this not wanting to take credit or be showy, but, to be clear in emphasizing that a project of this scale, ethically, morally, and legally, should meaningfully include at minimum 30-day notice, as well as community input and involvement. None of this was done and residents are only finding out based upon our outreach and dissemination efforts.
When I saw the destroyed trees on S. Oyster Bay Road right after September 11 myself, I Googled "trees, removal, S. Oyster Bay Road" and found absolutely nothing. No reports, no stories, no pictures, nothing. It wasn't until I started calling local legislators that I was told they themselves were only informed of this massive project days prior. Hence, we as a grassroots group started Operation STOMP. What we were able to accomplish in four days is more than what DPW had time to accomplish in four months.
Further, to be clear, this has nothing to do with power lines. PSEG is not involved, in either the S. Oyster Bay Road project nor the Seaman's Neck Road project, Senator Hannon demanded answers and PSEG clearly stated they are not involved, they have nothing to do with the removal, they have no problem with the trees as is. This is solely tree removal conducted via the Nassau County DPW on the basis of sidewalk repair and road repavement. While I completely agree there are small sections of the 4.4 miles of sidewalk that warrant attention, this does not justify the wide scale destruction. There are healthy trees that line hundreds of feet of perfectly walkable sidewalks in the area, go by Starbucks, Bed Bath and Beyond, Walgreen's, the medical offices--these sidewalks are being destroyed despite their good condition, and the trees are being removed as well despite their health, large size, and beauty.
I personally work in the urban policy field, and I've been a part of many neighborhood revitalization projects across the East Coast. It is our moral, ethical, and legal duty (particularly when we receive or use local, city, county, or state funds), to properly inform residents, all neighborhood residents, of impending work proposed and scheduled. We hold multiple town meetings that are publicized, with signatures documented, where we present facts so people are informed and where we can engage discourse. Transparency, and the dedicated effort in presenting clear facts is key. This was not done for this project, nor the Seaman's Neck Road project, and every county road in Nassau is at risk at this rate. Other neighborhoods will be affected and we would like to avoid not only the unnecessary removal of trees here and elsewhere, but also want to ensure all residents are clearly, and properly informed, and, come together collectively to arrive at a viable, tree-friendly solve.
Please drive by Plainview Road or W. John Street in Hicksville. Then S. Oyster Bay Road and see the X's on EVERY tree. I think it's important to visualize. The 50'-60 feet trees will be replaced (according to their plan) with trees that reach no more than 5 feet, more concrete and commercial areas exposed, more wires overhead visible.
The University of California at Berkeley has written a case study regarding a similar program in California (LA, one of the largest road systems in the country), for tree preservation where their emphasis is utilizing methods that simulteaneously allow for spot sidewalk repair while preserving as many trees possible.
There are other alternatives that should be explored and evaluated. As I noted above, the DPW has provided zero detail regarding this project, and efforts to explore and exhaust other avenues as it relates to sidewalk repair, the work I'm highlighting today is based upon our own efforts--I've been in contact with the Department myself, at length, and the officials could not give me an answer when we spoke yesterday regarding what other avenues have been explored. That was telling, in my opinion. I have requested engineering documents, arborist reports, environmental assessments, etc., as these documents have not been made publicly available. If they exist and become available, I will be happy to share.
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| Posted 9/30/14 12:20 PM |
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ave1024
I Took The Wrong Road
Member since 12/07 6153 total posts
Name:
That Led To The Wrong Tendencies
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Re: Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
Posted by OperationStomp
There are researched, evidence-based methods to tree preservation in scenarios where tree roots are causing progressive damage to sidewalks--methods that involve saving and preserving the trees while at the same time improving the condition of the sidewalks and in turn, improving pedestrian safety.
Care to elaborate on this? I am curious how do you go about repairing a sidewalk where the roots of a tree are growing and basically ripping up and destroying the sidewalk?
All I know as a homeowner is if somebody trips on one of these sidewalks in front of my house, I am going to get slapped with a lawsuit.
The town is not going to repair one sidewalk slab here, one sidewalk slab there. It would be a never ending job that will end up costing the town more money in the long run. I have a friend that lives by Seamans Neck Road and he told me those sidewalks were tore up badly. Even if the ones on South Oyster Bay road aren't tore up as bad, they will eventually get that way.
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| Posted 9/30/14 12:34 PM |
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Re: Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
Posted by ave1024
Posted by OperationStomp
There are researched, evidence-based methods to tree preservation in scenarios where tree roots are causing progressive damage to sidewalks--methods that involve saving and preserving the trees while at the same time improving the condition of the sidewalks and in turn, improving pedestrian safety.
Care to elaborate on this? I am curious how do you go about repairing a sidewalk where the roots of a tree are growing and basically ripping up and destroying the sidewalk?
All I know as a homeowner is if somebody trips on one of these sidewalks in front of my house, I am going to get slapped with a lawsuit.
The town is not going to repair one sidewalk slab here, one sidewalk slab there. It would be a never ending job that will end up costing the town more money in the long run. I have a friend that lives by Seamans Neck Road and he told me those sidewalks were tore up badly. Even if the ones on South Oyster Bay road aren't tore up as bad, they will eventually get that way.
Here's a link to the case study, it's only a few pages, I highly recommend reading. Spot treatment while more targeted, not necessarily would be more expensive, as, it would avoid the costs of tree cut down, removal and eventual replanting. The condition of the sidewalks on S. Oyster Bay Road is not comparable to Seaman's Neck Road. Also, note, these are county roads so the Nassau County DPW is spearheading these efforts, not the Town of Oyster Bay.
Further, there are documented, successful ways to preventatively avoid county roads from getting to this state in the first place due to roots lifting the sidewalks. It's a shame these preventative practices were not explored years prior to avoid the destruction in Seaford. And, practices such as sidewalk grinding, sidewalk cutouts, meandering and ramping can be used to repair sidewalks damaged by tree roots and growth (and in turn improve pedestrian safety), all while preserving the trees. If other counties and cities can successfully implement these methods with less resources and more sidewalks and trees to tackle, I have tremendous difficulty understanding why an area such as Nassau County cannot.
Link: Healthy Trees, Smooth Sidewalks
Message edited 9/30/2014 12:50:29 PM.
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| Posted 9/30/14 12:40 PM |
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ave1024
I Took The Wrong Road
Member since 12/07 6153 total posts
Name:
That Led To The Wrong Tendencies
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Re: Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
Posted by OperationStomp
Posted by ave1024
Posted by OperationStomp
There are researched, evidence-based methods to tree preservation in scenarios where tree roots are causing progressive damage to sidewalks--methods that involve saving and preserving the trees while at the same time improving the condition of the sidewalks and in turn, improving pedestrian safety.
Care to elaborate on this? I am curious how do you go about repairing a sidewalk where the roots of a tree are growing and basically ripping up and destroying the sidewalk?
All I know as a homeowner is if somebody trips on one of these sidewalks in front of my house, I am going to get slapped with a lawsuit.
The town is not going to repair one sidewalk slab here, one sidewalk slab there. It would be a never ending job that will end up costing the town more money in the long run. I have a friend that lives by Seamans Neck Road and he told me those sidewalks were tore up badly. Even if the ones on South Oyster Bay road aren't tore up as bad, they will eventually get that way.
Here's a link to the case study, it's only a few pages, I highly recommend reading. Spot treatment while more targeted, not necessarily would be more expensive, as, it would avoid the costs of tree removal and replanting. The condition of the sidewalks on S. Oyster Bay Road is not comparable to Seaman's Neck Road.
Further, there are documented, successful ways to preventatively avoid county roads from getting to this state in the first place due to roots lifting the sidewalks. It's a shame these preventative practices were not explored years prior to avoid the destruction in Seaford. And, practices such as sidewalk grinding, sidewalk cutouts, meandering and ramping can be used to repair sidewalks (and in turn improve pedestrian safety), all while preserving the trees. If other counties and cities can implement these methods with less resources and more sidewalks and trees to tackle, I have tremendous difficulty understanding why an area such as Nassau County cannot.
Link: Healthy Trees, Smooth Sidewalks
You can talk about preventative methods all you want, but the fact is what's done is done with the trees in their current state and there really isn't a 100% effective solution to repair the sidewalk and save the trees. Even the article says that Grade A trees cannot be saved in many circumstances and removal is the preferred way. Ramping would look ridiculous, would only delay the inevitable and could still present tripping hazards anyways. Cutouts would likely violate ADA laws. Grinding and meandering would also only provide temporary solutions.
As stated all these solutions would only provide a temporary fix and would likely require use of a costly arborist service. It is likely removal would be less costly vs. using an arborist plus constant inspection + maintenance. Plus even the planning involved would spike the cost up, do you really think they are going to get as specific and say this tree needs a ramp, this tree sidewalk needs a cutout for over 180 trees? You are going to wind up with a huge mix-mosh which again doesn't present a permanent fix.
In response to your last point about other towns supposedly doing things better with less, other towns do not have the local cost of labor+materials that Long Island has, nor are they financially strapped in regards to tax revenue. They also don't have the grossly bloated school taxes we are stuck with.
While I can appreciate the initiative, you aren't presenting a realistic solution to the issue.
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| Posted 9/30/14 1:40 PM |
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Re: Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
Posted by ave1024
Posted by OperationStomp
Posted by ave1024
Posted by OperationStomp
There are researched, evidence-based methods to tree preservation in scenarios where tree roots are causing progressive damage to sidewalks--methods that involve saving and preserving the trees while at the same time improving the condition of the sidewalks and in turn, improving pedestrian safety.
Care to elaborate on this? I am curious how do you go about repairing a sidewalk where the roots of a tree are growing and basically ripping up and destroying the sidewalk?
All I know as a homeowner is if somebody trips on one of these sidewalks in front of my house, I am going to get slapped with a lawsuit.
The town is not going to repair one sidewalk slab here, one sidewalk slab there. It would be a never ending job that will end up costing the town more money in the long run. I have a friend that lives by Seamans Neck Road and he told me those sidewalks were tore up badly. Even if the ones on South Oyster Bay road aren't tore up as bad, they will eventually get that way.
Here's a link to the case study, it's only a few pages, I highly recommend reading. Spot treatment while more targeted, not necessarily would be more expensive, as, it would avoid the costs of tree removal and replanting. The condition of the sidewalks on S. Oyster Bay Road is not comparable to Seaman's Neck Road.
Further, there are documented, successful ways to preventatively avoid county roads from getting to this state in the first place due to roots lifting the sidewalks. It's a shame these preventative practices were not explored years prior to avoid the destruction in Seaford. And, practices such as sidewalk grinding, sidewalk cutouts, meandering and ramping can be used to repair sidewalks (and in turn improve pedestrian safety), all while preserving the trees. If other counties and cities can implement these methods with less resources and more sidewalks and trees to tackle, I have tremendous difficulty understanding why an area such as Nassau County cannot.
Link: Healthy Trees, Smooth Sidewalks
You can talk about preventative methods all you want, but the fact is what's done is done with the trees in their current state and there really isn't a 100% effective solution to repair the sidewalk and save the trees. Even the article says that Grade A trees cannot be saved in many circumstances and removal is the preferred way. Ramping would look ridiculous, would only delay the inevitable and could still present tripping hazards anyways. Cutouts would likely violate ADA laws. Grinding and meandering would also only provide temporary solutions.
As stated all these solutions would only provide a temporary fix and would likely require use of a costly arborist service. It is likely removal would be less costly vs. using an arborist plus constant inspection + maintenance. Plus even the planning involved would spike the cost up, do you really think they are going to get as specific and say this tree needs a ramp, this tree sidewalk needs a cutout for over 180 trees? You are going to wind up with a huge mix-mosh which again doesn't present a permanent fix.
In response to your last point about other towns supposedly doing things better with less, other towns do not have the local cost of labor+materials that Long Island has, nor are they financially strapped in regards to tax revenue. They also don't have the grossly bloated school taxes we are stuck with.
While I can appreciate the initiative, you aren't presenting a realistic solution to the issue.
I'm going to respectfully disagree. Or agree to disagree. There are well-researched, successful methods that can be implemented to repair the slabs of sidewalk on this county road and others. What has been requested is a public discussion and information meeting on this particular issue, not just for S. Oyster Bay Road, but every county road where this will become problematic, Woodbury Road, Old Country Road, Round Swamp Road, etc. What has been missing is facts. What has been missing is notification.
I am not a tree nor road and sidewalk expert and am not claiming to be. However, over the past several days I've been able to find, document, and present research and methods as a concerned resident, something the County should have done at the onset back in June to meaningfully inform residents that would want to know more, have questions and/or, may be in opposition. 400 residents have signed the Petition in 4 days. I'm not alone in wanting the demolition to stop, for a better system of notification to be put in place, and, for a forum to be held where we can address this issue to arrive at a solve where all parties will be satisfied. I'm not in argument that some trees may need to be removed in severe situations, particularly when the sidewalk has been irreparably damaged. However, there are hundreds of feet of sidewalk that are perfectly walkable, no root damage, that are being ripped up as well with no rationale, healthy trees along with them also going. There has been no rationale or explanation, and I believe the public deserves to know why.
In California, before a tree can be removed, there is a 30-day notice posted. If 3 or more trees are to be removed on a particular street, a public forum is setup and residents can engage in discussion and protest the removal. Los Angeles, Palo Alto, and San Francisco are akin to Nassau County in terms of demographics and taxes. They are able to successfully make it work there. I do a lot of community-based work in neighborhoods marked by concentrated poverty and cities working in tremendous financial deficits; there, I can understand, here, respectfully, I cannot.
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| Posted 9/30/14 1:59 PM |
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MomMom
LIF Toddler
Member since 9/10 428 total posts
Name:
hi
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Re: Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
Posted by ave1024
Posted by OperationStomp
There are researched, evidence-based methods to tree preservation in scenarios where tree roots are causing progressive damage to sidewalks--methods that involve saving and preserving the trees while at the same time improving the condition of the sidewalks and in turn, improving pedestrian safety.
Care to elaborate on this? I am curious how do you go about repairing a sidewalk where the roots of a tree are growing and basically ripping up and destroying the sidewalk?
All I know as a homeowner is if somebody trips on one of these sidewalks in front of my house, I am going to get slapped with a lawsuit.
The town is not going to repair one sidewalk slab here, one sidewalk slab there. It would be a never ending job that will end up costing the town more money in the long run. I have a friend that lives by Seamans Neck Road and he told me those sidewalks were tore up badly. Even if the ones on South Oyster Bay road aren't tore up as bad, they will eventually get that way.
I am not saying this is safe but most other towns just have the tree roots cut away that are causing the sidewalk to bulge, then replace the slab/s that was lifted. Is this safe to remove some roots? I am not sure. But the towns I know that do this regularly did not lose any more trees during any of the LI storms than the towns that do not have sidewalks and also have many trees. So that leads me to believe after many years of trimming roots and replacing slabs, it doesn't necessarily weaken trees.
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| Posted 9/30/14 2:11 PM |
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Re: Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
Posted by MomMom
I am not saying this is safe but most other towns just have the tree roots cut away that are causing the sidewalk to bulge, then replace the slab/s that was lifted. Is this safe to remove some roots? I am not sure. But the towns I know that do this regularly did not lose any more trees during any of the LI storms than the towns that do not have sidewalks and also have many trees. So that leads me to believe after many years of trimming roots and replacing slabs, it doesn't necessarily weaken trees.
These are the exact kind of questions that I want to pose and discuss at a public, informational meeting. If you don't mind sharing, what towns conducted this type of work in the past?
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| Posted 9/30/14 2:15 PM |
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Re: Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
Just as an FYI, News 12 will be covering the story today, Tuesday, 09/30, at 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM, and also is available online for Cablevision subscribers.
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| Posted 9/30/14 2:17 PM |
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ave1024
I Took The Wrong Road
Member since 12/07 6153 total posts
Name:
That Led To The Wrong Tendencies
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Re: Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
Posted by OperationStomp
Posted by ave1024
Posted by OperationStomp
Posted by ave1024
Posted by OperationStomp
There are researched, evidence-based methods to tree preservation in scenarios where tree roots are causing progressive damage to sidewalks--methods that involve saving and preserving the trees while at the same time improving the condition of the sidewalks and in turn, improving pedestrian safety.
Care to elaborate on this? I am curious how do you go about repairing a sidewalk where the roots of a tree are growing and basically ripping up and destroying the sidewalk?
All I know as a homeowner is if somebody trips on one of these sidewalks in front of my house, I am going to get slapped with a lawsuit.
The town is not going to repair one sidewalk slab here, one sidewalk slab there. It would be a never ending job that will end up costing the town more money in the long run. I have a friend that lives by Seamans Neck Road and he told me those sidewalks were tore up badly. Even if the ones on South Oyster Bay road aren't tore up as bad, they will eventually get that way.
Here's a link to the case study, it's only a few pages, I highly recommend reading. Spot treatment while more targeted, not necessarily would be more expensive, as, it would avoid the costs of tree removal and replanting. The condition of the sidewalks on S. Oyster Bay Road is not comparable to Seaman's Neck Road.
Further, there are documented, successful ways to preventatively avoid county roads from getting to this state in the first place due to roots lifting the sidewalks. It's a shame these preventative practices were not explored years prior to avoid the destruction in Seaford. And, practices such as sidewalk grinding, sidewalk cutouts, meandering and ramping can be used to repair sidewalks (and in turn improve pedestrian safety), all while preserving the trees. If other counties and cities can implement these methods with less resources and more sidewalks and trees to tackle, I have tremendous difficulty understanding why an area such as Nassau County cannot.
Link: Healthy Trees, Smooth Sidewalks
You can talk about preventative methods all you want, but the fact is what's done is done with the trees in their current state and there really isn't a 100% effective solution to repair the sidewalk and save the trees. Even the article says that Grade A trees cannot be saved in many circumstances and removal is the preferred way. Ramping would look ridiculous, would only delay the inevitable and could still present tripping hazards anyways. Cutouts would likely violate ADA laws. Grinding and meandering would also only provide temporary solutions.
As stated all these solutions would only provide a temporary fix and would likely require use of a costly arborist service. It is likely removal would be less costly vs. using an arborist plus constant inspection + maintenance. Plus even the planning involved would spike the cost up, do you really think they are going to get as specific and say this tree needs a ramp, this tree sidewalk needs a cutout for over 180 trees? You are going to wind up with a huge mix-mosh which again doesn't present a permanent fix.
In response to your last point about other towns supposedly doing things better with less, other towns do not have the local cost of labor+materials that Long Island has, nor are they financially strapped in regards to tax revenue. They also don't have the grossly bloated school taxes we are stuck with.
While I can appreciate the initiative, you aren't presenting a realistic solution to the issue.
I'm going to respectfully disagree. Or agree to disagree. There are well-researched, successful methods that can be implemented to repair the slabs of sidewalk on this county road and others. What has been requested is a public discussion and information meeting on this particular issue, not just for S. Oyster Bay Road, but every county road where this will become problematic, Woodbury Road, Old Country Road, Round Swamp Road, etc. What has been missing is facts. What has been missing is notification.
I am not a tree nor road and sidewalk expert and am not claiming to be. However, over the past several days I've been able to find, document, and present research and methods as a concerned resident, something the County should have done at the onset back in June to meaningfully inform residents that would want to know more, have questions and/or, may be in opposition. 400 residents have signed the Petition in 4 days. I'm not alone in wanting the demolition to stop, for a better system of notification to be put in place, and, for a forum to be held where we can address this issue to arrive at a solve where all parties will be satisfied. I'm not in argument that some trees may need to be removed in severe situations, particularly when the sidewalk has been irreparably damaged. However, there are hundreds of feet of sidewalk that are perfectly walkable, no root damage, that are being ripped up as well with no rationale, healthy trees along with them also going. There has been no rationale or explanation, and I believe the public deserves to know why.
In California, before a tree can be removed, there is a 30-day notice posted. If 3 or more trees are to be removed on a particular street, a public forum is setup and residents can engage in discussion and protest the removal. Los Angeles, Palo Alto, and San Francisco are akin to Nassau County in terms of demographics and taxes. They are able to successfully make it work there. I do a lot of community-based work in neighborhoods marked by concentrated poverty and cities working in tremendous financial deficits; there, I can understand, here, respectfully, I cannot.
You keep saying there are "proven" methods of doing this. What are the methods? Last time I checked California is not New York.
California has HUGE environmental issues that New York does not have, thus the need for different laws. In fact New York in comparison is considered one of the "greener" states in the country.
You can't compare San Francisco to Nassau County. And if anything I WOULDN'T want to be compared to San Francisco. They are in worse financial shape than we are, and California as a state is almost bankrupt. Let's also not compare the health issues San Francisco has vs. Nassau County.
Cities with the worst air pollution - California has 5 of the top 6 on the list.
Frankly I would trade the removal of a few trees if it meant not having the bulk of issues California has. Talk about problems.
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| Posted 9/30/14 2:18 PM |
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sunnyflies
LIF Adult
Member since 9/09 1757 total posts
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Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
Just saw you on News 12! You spoke well and News 12 is calling Public Works to hear their side which means the county will have to pay attention to public opinion and respond.
Good going!
Ave1024 - It is not just happening in California. East Hampton town in Suffolk, as I posted above, also has regulations, so does Southampton. They value the look trees give their towns.
Certain counties in Connecticut have extensive laws protecting trees and trees capes. That is not to say they don't repair sidewalks or trim trees, they just don't allow Carte Blanche to entities who might take them all down in order to make their work easier, or who make money by charging by the tree.
Message edited 9/30/2014 2:27:37 PM.
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| Posted 9/30/14 2:19 PM |
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Re: Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
Posted by ave1024
You keep saying there are "proven" methods of doing this. What are the methods? Last time I checked California is not New York.
California has HUGE environmental issues that New York does not have, thus the need for different laws. In fact New York in comparison is considered one of the "greener" states in the country.
Frankly I would trade the removal of a few trees if it meant not having the bulk of issues California has. Talk about problems.
The case study is one of hundreds of articles and documents you can find online by simply typing in "sidewalk repair tree preservation." There are plenty of articles I searched last night that talk about doing this on the East Coast as well, particularly in the wealthy counties that surround DC and southern Maryland, which also share similarities to our region. I simply used California as an example as the case study was conducted by an academic institution, was clear, concise, and provided helpful information to those not familiar with this type of content.
I listed some of a few methods earlier, sidewalk meandering, ramping, slab cut outs, there are things such as Silva Cells being planted in areas across the country that support root growth, there's a ton of options to explore. As I've noted before, the research behind this should be conducted and presented by the Nassau County DPW, with experts at hand, to the public. I asked the DPW spokesperson yesterday overseeing this project what avenues had been explored as it relates to sidewalk repair and tree preservation and was not/could not be provided with an answer on the spot. This is part of the problem.
If you find 400 50-60' trees between Seaman's Neck Road and S. Oyster Bay Road to be a "few" and don't appreciate even the scale or environmental impact of this type of removal, well, as I noted above, I'll agree to disagree with you on the matter.
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| Posted 9/30/14 2:27 PM |
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Re: Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
Posted by sunnyflies
Just saw you on News 12! You spoke well and News 12 is calling Public Works to hear their side which means the county will have to pay attention to public opinion and respond.
Good going!
Thank you, you're very sweet! 
PS--I appreciate all your earlier posts too and advice/tips on the matter, will shoot you a PM shortly now that the wedding is over!
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| Posted 9/30/14 2:32 PM |
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dpli
Daylight savings :)
Member since 5/05 13973 total posts
Name:
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Re: Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
Message edited 9/30/2014 11:42:50 PM.
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| Posted 9/30/14 11:32 PM |
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Re: Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
We are up to 560 signatures. :)
We are also going to be meeting tomorrow evening as a group, concerned residents who want to discuss and plan the next steps. If you're in the S. Oyster Bay Road area and would like to join or help out in a specific way, please contact us at [email protected].
Thanks for all of the continued support, and spreading the word--the trees send their thanks and appreciation as well.
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| Posted 10/1/14 4:55 PM |
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hmm
Sweet
Member since 1/14 7993 total posts
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Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
oops, I cant believe I made that mistake. I don't know why I keep thinking of TOB.
The County is not that great at letting people know about issues in advance either and from what I read that is one of your issues.
It is an election year and Im sure you can find someone to assist with this matter. When you want something changed an election year is the time to ask
Message edited 10/1/2014 6:35:21 PM.
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| Posted 10/1/14 5:51 PM |
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Re: Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
Posted by hmm
I am going to say as someone that has dealt with TOB on many issues, they are not resident friendly and could careless how people feel. In fact, we have the kind of construction and too many of the -same types of stores ie 7-11 because they refuse to change even building codes to prevent all the garbage being built and many areas of the TOB looks horrible as a result. THIS is off the topic but my point is, they never inform residents far in advance and NEVER have meetings when people can attend. I am a president of a local civic so I know how they operate.
Just an FYI having to stand in front of that board, just know the supervisor can be a real %^$$, to speak to
Thanks for the reply Hmm, this is actually the Nassau County Department of Public Works, not TOB, as the trees are located on S. Oyster Bay Road which is a county road, like Woodbury Road, Old Country Road, etc.
County Executive Ed Mangano, and the Department of Public Works (Shila Shah-Gavnoudias) are leading this effort, alongside Legislators Jacobs and Schaefer.
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| Posted 10/1/14 5:58 PM |
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Re: Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
Posted by hmm
oops, I cant believe I made that mistake. I don't know why I keep thinking of TOB.
The County is not that great at letting people know about issues in advance either and from what I read that is one of your issues.
It is an election year and Im sure you can find someone to assist with this matter. When you want something changed an election year is the time to ask
Not a problem, the road is in the TOB, but, since it's a county road, it's under DPW jurisdiction. Yes, in this particular 'aggressive campaign' failure to notify has been a huge issue. In Seaford, not a single resident was notified before the demolition. After the Seaman's Neck Road ordeal, one would think key officials would have had a 'lessons learned' moment and did things differently the second time around.
Thanks for the help, greatly appreciated. :)
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| Posted 10/2/14 5:09 PM |
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Re: Save the 180+ Trees on S. Oyster Bay Road Scheduled for Demo
Hi everyone, just an update. If you'd like to learn about some of the latest developments or voice your concerns, we are meeting TONIGHT at the Syosset Panera on Jericho Turnpike at 7:30 p.m.
Just going to go over some important pieces and next steps. Please spread the word.
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| Posted 10/2/14 5:10 PM |
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