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Kyle council directs staff to solicit bids to explore relocating historic Stagecoach oak
Summary
After lengthy public comment and mixed arborist reports, Kyle City Council directed staff to evaluate four nearby relocation sites and solicit bids for moving the large heritage oak on Old Stagecoach Road, with council expressing a preference for keeping the tree visible near the roadway; staff will return with costs and viability analysis.
A prolonged public discussion over the future of a large live oak on Old Stagecoach Road — variously called the Greg Tree or Jolene by staff — culminated on Aug. 20 with council direction to solicit professional relocation bids and site evaluations.
City staff summarized three recent arborist reports that gave mixed assessments of the tree’s condition (ratings ranged from fair to poor), documented cavities and root burial from previous road work, and warned that construction nearby could reduce the tree’s survival prospects. Staff presented four city/HOA‑owned candidate relocation sites within a quarter mile, each with trade‑offs (utilities, space, HOA coordination). Verbal relocation cost estimates ranged roughly $600,000–$850,000 plus required aftercare.
Several residents and the tree’s advocates described the oak’s cultural and historic significance; others cautioned about cost, uncertain survival after transplant and alternative uses for money. Council members debated cost‑benefit tradeoffs: some emphasized the tree’s community value and motioned to pursue bids and site selection (with a council preference noted for keeping the tree near Stagecoach if feasible); others urged caution and raised opportunity‑cost concerns (buying and planting many trees elsewhere would be cheaper). The motion to direct staff to secure a site and solicit bids for relocation (staff to evaluate viability of the candidate sites) passed 6–1.
Staff next steps: city staff will coordinate with HOAs for potential host sites, request detailed contractor proposals and return to council with firm cost estimates, timing (avoiding oak‑wilt season) and a survivability assessment to inform a final decision on relocation versus removal with road redesign.
