Tree-Trimming in Public Streets Should Not Be Residents' Responsibility, Twp. Committee Says

Sidewalk maintenance may be a property owner's responsibility, but the majority of Montville Township Committee members feel tree maintenance within a township right of way should not be after the idea of having residents foot the bill for maintaining damaged trees in sidewalks was rejected at the March 12 meeting.

The committee continued discussion on sidewalk maintenance after initially agreeing not to fund repairs to sidewalks damaged by Superstorm Sandy at the Feb. 26 meeting. While it is standard that maintaining sidewalks in front of a property owner's home is his or her responsibility, the committee has discussed how in the past, the township has funded repairs to sidewalks damaged by major storms. On Feb. 26, committee members rejected a bond ordinance to appropriate $55,000 to fund repairs for 53 property owners whose sidewalks were damaged by Sandy.

At the March 12 meeting, committee members seemed to agree that sidewalk maintenance should be the responsibility of the property owners and that the 53 property owners, in addition to all property owners in the township, be notified of such. Mayor Tim Braden said he felt a separate letter should be sent to the property owners with damaged sidewalks explaining that if they do not fix the damage by a set date, the township will do the work and assess them the costs.

Township Administrator Victor Canning said he would also like to have a staff member from the Engineering Department take photos of and catalogue the damaged sidewalks so that the township has an updated inventory. Braden said this could delay the deadline for when to ask residents to repair sidewalks by, likely in June or July, and some of the damaged sidewalks, particularly those near schools, are of concern for safety reasons.

On a related note, the committee discussed what to do about tree maintenance for properties that abut public roads, as discussion also began at the Feb. 26 meeting on who is responsible for maintaining trees damaged by the storm and in the township right of way. Committeeman Don Kostka said perhaps tree maintenance should be the responsibility of the property owner as well as insurance companies can cover damaged trees.

"They're adding value to the homeowner's home, so why are we, the township, going around trimming trees? Shaping trees?" he asked.

But the majority of committee members disagreed that tree maintenance in such cases should be the property owner's responsibility. Committeeman Scott Gallopo said he adamantly disagreed that maintaining trees should be a property owner's obligation and that in addition to burdening the owner, he said he did not think moving to such a system would be a good look for the town.