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Albany commission denies application to remove leaning pear tree at 965 Talbot, orders pruning and monitoring
Summary
Staff recommended against removing a leaning Aristocrat pear at 965 Talbot and suggested reduction pruning and monitoring; after public testimony about sidewalk lifting and vehicle damage, the commission voted to deny the removal and asked staff to revisit the tree’s condition within a year and to waive a future reapplication fee if needed.
The Albany Urban Forestry Commission voted to deny a property-owner application to remove a leaning Aristocrat pear at 965 Talbot, adopting staff’s recommendation for reduction pruning and monitoring instead.
John Hawkerage, the city’s urban forester, reviewed historical photos showing a roughly 10-degree lean present for many years and said the tree likely could be conserved with reduction pruning. Hawkerage recommended denying the removal application because the tree did not meet the city’s removal criteria and could be managed with pruning.
A nearby resident, identified as Patty, told the commission that roots were breaking the sidewalk, thorny suckers grew at child height, and vehicles had struck the tree, causing damage. Commissioners and staff discussed current liability practices and the city’s sidewalk repair program: under Albany’s municipal code and state highways code, adjacent property owners are generally responsible for sidewalk maintenance, but the city operates programs for shaving and rehabilitation of sidewalks.
After debate about precedent and public safety, the commission approved a motion to deny the removal application and instead follow staff recommendations: schedule reduction pruning, monitor the tree, and revisit the request within a year (with a fee waiver if the owner reapplies within that window). The commission’s decision includes direction that sidewalk safety remain a separate programmatic issue handled through the city’s sidewalk rehabilitation and shaving programs.
