PORT TOWNSEND — After a wind gust knocked a large branch from a poplar tree into Walker Street on Wednesday, the Port Townsend city officials will investigate the possibility of removing the four poplar trees on city property on the street.
Residents of Walker Street between Franklin and Clay streets have lobbied the city for removal of the four 75-foot trees since 1999 with no success, said Patti Reynolds, who lives at 525 Walker St. with her husband, Harold Nelson.
The four residents who have signed letters of complaint initiated by Reynolds feel the aging trees pose a danger of falling.
The branch toppled by a windstorm with 56-mph gusts has prompted the city to re-evaluate the situation, said Port Townsend Public Works Director Ken Clow.
Inspect trees
“We are going to look at this again and will have the arborist come out and inspect the trees in the next couple of days,” Clow said Thursday.
Clow said the city would remove any trees an arborist determines pose a danger.
Ralph Williams, who lives at 538 Walker St., doesn’t think the city has acted in a manner appropriate to the danger.
“They haven’t realized the seriousness of the situation,” he said.
Said Clow: “We have always taken this seriously.”
Clow estimated that it could cost between $2,500 and $3,000 to remove each tree.
A large branch blew down at about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, knocking out phone and cable service for the entire block but causing no property damage or injuries.
Reynolds said the outcome could have been quite different if the branch fell at a time when court was in session at the Jefferson County Courthouse a block away at 1820 Jefferson St. — and when the cars of people who are using the courthouse are often parked underneath the trees.
Balance costs
“The city needs to balance the cost of removing these dangerous trees against the costs to property, motorists and residents,” she wrote in a letter to the city dated Wednesday.
“You dodged a financial bullet [this week] the city would have if a motorist or resident was injured or killed and the fact that the city had been ignoring pleas from the residents for so long would put liability squarely on the city,” she wrote.
Windstorms have blown branches off trees on several occasions since at least 1998, causing power outages and property damage, said Reynolds and Nelson, whose bedroom lines up with the trees.
“If a tree fell on the house and killed us, my nephew would get a hell of a settlement from the city,” Reynolds said.
“I don’t mind. I really like my nephew.”
Reynolds and Nelson moved to Port Townsend in 2005 and had three similar Lombardy poplars on their property.
They removed them in 2006 at a cost of $7,000 because they felt they were unsafe.
The trees were then close to 70 years old, which exceeded the expected lifespan of a Lombardy poplar, Nelson said.
Williams, who has lived in Port Townsend for 55 years, said city government has become less responsive since he came to town.
“Once when you had a problem, you could walk downtown, talk to someone and get it fixed,” he said.
“Now, you have to deal with councils and committees, and even then they don’t listen.”
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
