Gerald Lynch
A group of Tullamarine residents is pushing for an oversized tree to be removed from their street.
Nineteen Janus Street residents have signed a petition to remove the tree, which they have presented to Hume council.
Resident James Pantalone said he has been advocating for the removal of the tree for 20 years, and is sick and tired of his requests “falling on deaf ears”.
“This tree belongs in a forest,” he said.
“All the residents who live around it have wanted to remove this problematic tree, it is so out of place.
“It’s not that we don’t want any trees in the street, we just want trees more suitable to suburban streets.”
The residents have put forward a joint petition and letter to the council which they hope will be presented at the the first council meeting of the year on February 12, however Mr Pantalone said their hope of seeing change is fading.
“Council have replied the same generic response that the tree is healthy and have completely ignored all other valid points that meet council’s tree removal criteria,” he said.
The group had a list of reasons as to why they felt the tree should be removed, leading with the tree poses a severe safety hazard due to its size, if a branch fell or the tree collapsed, the effects could be catastrophic.
Further, they feel the aesthetic values of the tree are low at best, and it looks out of place.
They also say the tree is substantially contributing to damage to public and private property, with branches falling regularly.
A spokesperson for Hume council said that the council will undergo due diligence regarding the tree, but it has been reviewed several times already.
“The tree at 7 Janus Street, Tullamarine, has been assessed multiple times by several council qualified arborists and, as previously advised to the resident, does not meet the criteria for removal as per council’s Street and Reserve Tree Policy,” they said.
“The most recent inspection on January 15 was undertaken by the coordinator urban forest and the city arborist with the tree structure assessed as sound and the tree deemed healthy.
“Additionally, the assessment that the tree’s aesthetics are “low to negative” were not supported in the assessment.”
Council confirmed that the joint letter and petition will be tabled at the council meeting on February 12.
