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Committee presses for earlier intervention after retail site’s trees died
Summary
Members described months-long delays getting a retail manager or corporate to act after street trees at a Walgreens location declined; the committee discussed using the new arborist to flag hazards earlier even if the arborist cannot directly enforce code.
Committee members described a problem at a Walgreens site where trees died after the city did not engage quickly and a local manager deferred action to corporate.
"It took months before we ever actually, you know, talked to Walgreens," the Chair said, recounting that by mid-summer the trees were already dead. The Chair added that a store manager "would not cooperate and kept telling Dave, you have to deal with corporate," which delayed any remedial action.
Members discussed options to be more proactive on major thoroughfares rather than relying on resident complaints. One member suggested the new arborist could act as an "eyes and ears" to flag problems earlier: "Since we now have an arborist, do you think an arborist can be that little bit also?" the Chair asked, noting the arborist would not have enforcement authority but could prompt complaints or staff follow-up.
The committee agreed to compile complaints as a group and explore ways for the arborist and committee to surface high-priority streets to public works so issues can be addressed before trees fail.
