Neighbour Chris Brown said the tree gave her family great pleasure over the years. Photo / George Novak
Neighbour Chris Brown said the tree gave her family great pleasure over the years. Photo / George Novak
The felling of a healthy tree has a Tauranga resident describing it as "vandalism".
Third Avenue resident Chris Brown says she cannot see why it was necessary to fell the "beautiful life-enhancing tree" at the property next door to hers.
The felled tree in full bloom. Photo / Supplied
The tree was cut down on May 20.
It wason a Tauranga City Council-owned property at 35 Third Ave, also home to the Tauranga MP Simon Bridges' National Party's electorate office, and was visible from the road.
"This tree had given us great pleasure over the years," Brown said.
"The tree was healthy and did not shed debris or shadow useful areas either of 35 or the adjacent 43 Third Avenue. I see no reason for its destruction."
Neighbour Chris Brown said the tree gave her family great pleasure over the years. Photo / George Novak
Paul Muller, council facilities team leader, said seven trees at council properties 35a, 35b and 43 Third Ave were cut down after "a number of complaints from several tenants" that surround 35a and 35b Third Ave.
He said the complaints were about soak-holes that were regularly clogged up with tree debris.
"This was causing flooding during the winter time and going forward would need to be regularly unblocked."
He said the council inspected the area and decided to cut some trees back and removed seven trees of various sizes and stages of maturity from 43, 35a and 35b Third Avenue.
Species cut down were a common garden variety camellia, a Ficus Benjamina, Magnolia Campbellii, Tibouchina Urvilleana (Glory Bush), Cupressus sempervirens 'Swan Gold' conifer, Pittosporum tenuifolium and a Ceratopetalum Gummiferum.
Muller said none of the trees were on the roadside and on council-owned properties.
In line with the council's policy any tree removed from council-administered properties would be replaced but the council had not yet decided what species to plant, he said.
Asked for comment, Bridges said neither he nor his staff had complained about the tree.
"All decisions about this have been made by Tauranga City Council."
Brown said the council's reasons didn't measure up, and there had not been "serious flooding" of the properties since the major flood in 2005.
