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Trees near courthouse slated for removal after staff find advanced decay; replanting planned after approvals
Summary
City staff said nine laurel oaks around a downtown church and additional oaks by the courthouse are structurally decayed and will be removed; removals depend on NC DOT and historic-preservation approvals and the county will assist with crane logistics and some removal costs.
City staff told the Tree Commission that significant tree removals are planned downtown near the main courthouse and a Presbyterian church because of structural decay and limb failure.
Aaron Ree, the city arborist, described the condition of the affected trees and said a review found that several laurel oaks have extensive heart rot and root-decay fungus that destabilizes the trees. “There’s significant amount of decay in the trunk and in the main limbs,” Ree said, adding that pruning would not mitigate the hazard without effectively killing some specimens because of laurel-oak failure profiles. After review, staff concluded nine trees immediately around the church property (seven along South Third Street and two on Orange Street) need removal. Three additional laurel oaks on the opposite block face were also described as in very poor health and are planned for removal.
The courthouse project includes seven sawtooth oaks on the Fourth Street side that must be removed to allow crane access for a county roof repair; the county has agreed to cover removal costs for those seven trees and will help coordinate crane operations. Staff said two of the seven are close to a prisoner drop-off and those locations will have planting pits closed rather than replanted.
Because the work affects a DOT street and a historic district, staff said they must notify and receive approvals from the Wilmington Historic Preservation Office and the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office and coordinate with NC DOT before work can proceed. Staff expect historic-review turnaround to be relatively quick based on past projects.
Commissioners asked about replanting species; staff said trees removed because of utility-line conflicts or poor sites will be replanted with species better suited to the location and power-line clearances. Maintenance, stump grinding and replanting will be handled through existing contracts and budgeted planting programs.
No formal vote was taken; staff said approval steps with historic-preservation and DOT staff are the main constraints before removals proceed.
