Monday, February 25, 2013

Stumped in Flushing


"Does anyone else have this situation? On 2 blocks on 149 Street between Bayside Ave and 33 Ave there are 13 stumps, most of which are 1 to 2 yrs old.

NYC.gov/311:
Stump Removal
All stumps remaining from tree removal operations performed by Parks are recorded and registered. Stump removals are dependent on the availability of funding. We currently have a backlog of stumps awaiting removal. If you are a property owner who would like a City-owned stump removed, we have two options for you to consider:
1) You can request a new tree via 311 or our tree service request system, and if the stump is less than approximately 30 inches in diameter, our planting contractors will remove the stump during a new tree planting process.
2) You can obtain a tree work permit from Parks and hire a contractor to remove the stump at your own expense. If you prefer this option, permit applications and instructions are available on our Working On or Near Trees page.
But what if some old tree locations do not get a new tree?
How may years will it take for the Parks Dept to plant them?
It's laughable that they suggest each homeowner pay to remove all these stumps. Or are we to have to look at them indefinitely until they've rotted and disappeared?

They say stump removal is based on money available, but they have the money to inspect & cut the trees down & new tree planting if we ask for one?" - Concerned in Flushing

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

This affords plenty of places for political candidates to deliver their stump speeches.

Anonymous said...

Should these trees have even been cut down?

Anonymous said...

Ya gotta rememeber that this is Queens.
The parks department doesn't give a shit about Queens.
If this were the upper west side, upper east side, SoHo, Greenwich Village, Park Slope or Williamsburg the stumps would be gone poste-haste.
Ya gotta remember that this is Queens.

Anonymous said...

This effort by the city to plant trees without doing anything about keeping the older trees healthy is a bit of a joke.

Our sidewalks, once the play area for kids, are now marred with far too large tree pits that accumulate garbage and impede pedestrians.

Of course, when all the starry-eyed bright young things who are full of excited energy as they tout the new tree programs are reminded about these things, they display their true civic feelings and deep understanding nature by telling that those issues are 'not being addressed.'

Isn't it great that our future civic leaders follow instructions, are concerned only about those things listed on their instruction sheet, and, of course, save their pent-up passions for life by debating the merits of various Thai sauces when they retire to their inevitable dining experience after attending a Green Event.

Anonymous said...

NYC does not maintain street trees and thats why citizens take it upon themselves to remove them. Many of them fall over into property and the street. Stop whining tree huggers and tell your mayor and council person to do their jobs.

Queens Crapper said...

Homeowners remove them because they don't want to clean sap and bird crap off their cars and don't want to clean up leaves. Lack of maintenance has little to do with it. It's all about being inconsiderate.

Anonymous said...

it will be years before those trees stumps are removed, and new trees definitely won't be planted for several more years if at all.

I base this statement on what I've seen around Astoria. There are tree stumps that have be there for several years now. it's a common sight.

I've not seen any home owners chop down trees around here though. Chopping down a tree takes some effort and most people are just too damn lazy. Plus there's the whole illegality thing if you get caught, and with nosy neighbors abound, I wouldn't chance it even if I wanted to.

Anonymous said...

Many trees around Whitestone and North Flushing were removed by the city (except for the stump) a couple of years ago because of infestation with the Asian Long Horned beetle.

Anonymous said...

We have the same thing in College Point. There are stumps that have been around for years. I know the city is never going to come around and remove them or replant a tree. Like one of the posters above said, this is Queens not manhattan

Anonymous said...

"this is Queens not manhattan"

Time to make Queens separate from NYC, just like Nassau and Suffolk.

Much better off with local rule.

Anonymous said...

That may not be a bad idea, if it would help, to make Queens separate from NYC. Maybe you should talk to Queens officials, esp upcoming next year possibly? Depending on who wins Borough President, city council, mayor, etc.

Anonymous said...

That may not be a bad idea, if it would help, to make Queens separate from NYC. Maybe you should talk to Queens officials, esp upcoming next year possibly?
---------------
You have to be kidding - our connections to the other boroughs is our last link to sanity! to reality!

Think of what madhouse our world would be if reality was dictated by the Alice in Wonderland world of Queens Borough Hall.

Anonymous said...

[i]Time to make Queens separate from NYC, just like Nassau and Suffolk.

Much better off with local rule. [/i]

Dumbest comment ever.

Staten Island has seriously considered secession and it isn't financially feasible. No more police, fire, teachers, sanitation, water, DEP, parks, transportation, courts, hospitals, etc.

The problem with Queens half the time is that it's full of idiots that think they have all the answers but have no real idea of how the real world works...and then they go out and vote for the same idiots over and over again anyway, because, "Better the evil you know than the evil you don't."

Anonymous said...

"Better the evil you know than the evil you don't."

A cowards view on life.

Lincoln would have accepted slavery if he had your viewpoint.

Anonymous said...

Actually, Lincoln would have kept slavery if he thought it would have kept the union together.

Anonymous said...

what has been the experience with homeowners whose houses were damaged by toppled trees due to the recent 80 to 100 mph winds and their homeowner's insurance companies?

i had a chimney cap loosened POSSIBLY by Sandy 10/29/2012, ,Feb. 8th 2013 noreastern wind gusts,and Feb.17,2013 40-50 Mph winds.
it finally flew across my neighbors driveway and damaged the roof of his car.

my insurance company said this was an "act of God"
and his car will not be fixed by them.

a roofer told me that homeowners who had trees fall on their houses and cars during sandy's 100 mph winds, are not being reimbursed.

is this true?

check your chimney A.S.A.P... it may be damaged.



some tall curb trees are beginning to disappear.....some are now STUMPS.....

Anonymous said...

Sorry crappy its lack of city care. I know a guy who spent $1500 getting city tree trimmed in front of his house that was dropping 100 pound limbs, because after many many complaints NYC ignored him. True story!

Anonymous said...

I spoke to Parks Dept earlier this year and I asked why are we planting new trees (e.g., MillionTrees Program) when we should first focus on removing all these unsightly and dangerous tree stumps. She said 2 different agencies; plus, Parks has no money.
I say no new plantings until we remove all the stumps!

Anonymous said...

I agree with that, kinda. We should balance the spending, if that's the real problem (Which I have difficulty believing really). You know, remove existing stumps first. Because we all know that not every old tree location will receive a new tree, because of where the location is siituated be it signage, traffic lights, too close and blocking line of sight at intersections, or too close to utility(ies), sewer, or other trees. So if nyc has enough money to plant a million trees let's get rid of the stumps, isn't that really part of "tree removal", its part of the tree.

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