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Residents urge borough to address hazardous street trees after April storm; raise sewer-line damage and cost concerns
Summary
Two residents told council during public hour that a maple planted near a curb has damaged a private sewer lateral and is at risk of falling; they urged prompt removal and asked the borough to consider policy changes about who bears repair costs.
During the June 16 public hour, resident Madhu Suri Prakash of 415 East McCormick Avenue described repeated sewer-line damage she attributes to roots from a maple tree planted between sidewalk and street decades ago and asked the borough to remove the tree. Prakash said the tree appears to be in decline and that recent high winds in April 2025, which she said included gusts up to 80 miles per hour, increased concern about the risk of the tree falling.
Leslie Beers, who said she runs a home business and is a friend of Prakash’s, told council that a large branch has fallen near a client’s car and that College Township previously declined requests for removal because of finances. Beers asked whether the pattern — residents bearing private repair costs for trees planted near sewer lines — should be revisited.
Why it matters: residents framed the issue as a public-safety concern (risk of falling limbs and prior storm damage) and a household financial burden (costs to repair private sewer laterals when tree roots are implicated). Council thanked the speakers and indicated staff had received related documentation and email correspondence.
Details and council response Prakash said she has lived at her address for 41 years and that the tree’s roots have repeatedly interfered with her sewer line. She asked the borough to “give immediate attention and the tree removed.” Beers described near-misses during the spring storm and said repeated requests to other municipalities had met limited success because of funding constraints. Council members acknowledged the comments, noted an email copy of the complaint was in staff hands, and thanked the speakers for reporting the situation. No formal council action or vote occurred during the public comment period.
No formal policy change or direction to staff was recorded in the meeting minutes; residents asked publicly for expedited attention and for the borough to consider whether current cost responsibilities for repairs and tree management are appropriate.
