A property survey is necessary before Tom Clark, the new owner of the century home at 14576 West Park Street in Burton Village, can cut down maple trees next to his driveway.
A property survey is necessary before Tom Clark, the new owner of the century home at 14576 West Park Street in Burton Village, can cut down maple trees next to his driveway.
Clark appeared before Burton Village Council April 24 to discuss exterior improvements he wants to make to the 0.59 acres next door to the Burton Public Library, which is where the village and police department have their offices.
Village Arborist Debbie Palmisano said Clark wants to take down maple trees on a strip of property between his driveway and the library parking lot where he has already removed brush.
Clark said he is concerned about the roots of the maple trees heaving up his driveway.
“If it’s clear the trees are on my property, I can do what I want with them,” he said.
Palmisano, who manages the maintenance of trees on the village property and champions its many maple trees, asked if Clark and the village could negotiate to save the trees.
Otherwise, a property survey is the only way anyone can know for sure if the trees are fully on Clark’s property, she said.
Street Commissioner and Police Chief Rick Smigelski said if the tree trunks are partially on the village property, it would be up to village council to decide if they could be removed.
The trees absorb a lot of water that might otherwise flow across the parking lot and possibly damage it, he said.
“Everything large is definitely on my property,” Clark said, adding he found a surveyor’s stake at the back of the property and he believes, using line-of-sight to the street, the trees are his.
Smigelski said it is hard to know if the old surveyor’s stake is correct and Mayor Ruth Spanos, looking at the pictures from above, said the line is difficult to determine based on only one pin.
Council member Tom Blair said the village has no problem with Clark removing brush and trees on his own property from the garage to the back along the property line.
Spanos agreed and council concurred.
The survey should be arranged and paid for by Clark, since he wants to make changes to the property, Smigelski said.
He also urged Clark to replace the window that is broken with something other than plywood.
The 2,880-square-foot, two-story house was built in 1875, according to the Geauga County Auditor’s Office website, and has been empty for several years.
Zoning Inspector Rick Gruber said Clark had contacted an auctioneer to auction off all the contents on June 3, and parking and traffic control could be a problem while the auction is going on.
In other business, Palmisano said as many as six trees would be taken down when work is done on the Dean Court water lines.
“I wondered if there are any funds for (tree) replacement,” she asked.
Village Engineer Chip Hess said there are four pines next to the water line and a linden tree.
“Everything’s in the village right-of-way,” Hess said.
Village Administrator Jennell Dahlhausen said the project is being funded mostly with money from the Burton Village Board of Public Affairs. It was agreed the issue would be discussed at the May 9 BVBPA meeting.
