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Residents and committee debate sycamore removals and sidewalk fixes on Tenry Street
Summary
The Draper City Tree Committee reviewed resident complaints and staff markings that targeted sycamores on Tenry Street, discussed options including sidewalk amendments or easements to preserve trees, and emphasized that the city will avoid paying for removals unless safety requires it.
The Draper City Tree Committee spent much of its Sept. 2 meeting addressing a neighborhood dispute over sycamore trees in narrow park strips on Tenry Street that staff or contractors had marked for removal. The committee’s chair summarized residents’ objections and laid out options for resolving conflicts between sidewalks and tree roots.
“We keep those trees for those that want to keep the trees and the sidewalk need to be amended,” the chair said, arguing that sidewalks should be remediated where feasible rather than removing established trees. He said the city should not fund removals “just because they’re a hassle or the resident doesn’t like them” unless there is a clear safety issue.
Committee members described a patchwork of outcomes in the neighborhood: in some places sidewalks were ground and replaced years ago without affecting trees, in others trees were removed and neighbors later reported buckling sidewalks. Staff noted the city owns the park-strip area but homeowners are responsible for maintenance of their sidewalks; code enforcement is complaint-driven and can require property owners to correct violations after notice.
Members discussed several remedies: amending sidewalks to save trees, allowing residents to accept an easement so sidewalks can be relocated, or, where there is documented structural or safety risk, permitting removal. The chair asked staff to survey how comparable cities (including Salt Lake City) manage narrow park strips and to refine a proposed protocol.
Committee members also noted mixed resident preferences: some homeowners want trees removed because of disease or leaf/debris issues, while others wish to preserve the canopy. The committee agreed to assemble options and return to the topic at a future meeting so specific locations and recommendations can be drafted.
The committee did not take a formal vote authorizing removals; rather, members reached consensus on pursuing a set of options and policy clarifications and directed staff to report back.
