Council tree has been a problem for 20 years…
An Endeavour Hills resident is calling on Casey council to remove destructive gum trees from the nature strip outside her home.
Dora Messina said the “two huge gums” were “starting to be a real pain” and she’d asked the council to remove them several times over the past 20 years.
She said that branches had fallen into her property, leaves had blocked her gutters, and now roots were lifting her retaining wall.
Ms Messina said the council told her the trees were too healthy to be removed.
She said the roots were stopping grass from growing on the Wills Court nature strip, had lifted the footpath and were a tripping hazard for pedestrians.
“They’re even damaging the kerb on the road,” she said.
“The council now expects us to jump through hoops.”
After lodging a complaint, Ms Messina said she received a letter from the council requesting more information to process a claim for compensation.
She said that information included a geotechnical report, an engineer report or and a plumbing report substantiating reasons for the structural damage.
“We don’t really want to claim anything, we just want them to do something,” she said.
“It shouldn’t be on us.
“It’s not our property, it’s the council property.”
Ms Messina said that if the council would not remove the trees, it should at least cut back the roots.
City of Casey city presentation manager David Richardson said the council had previously attended and repaired the footpath in question.
“The resident contacted council in relation to damage on private property, and the council has sent out the necessary forms to make the claim,” he said.
“As the resident has claimed the damage was caused/contributed to by council trees, the resident needs to supply the relevant information to substantiate the claim.
“This may be in the form of a geotechnical, plumbing or engineering report.”
