Galway City Council investigating felling of 5 mature trees in Salthill Park

Oldtree

Quick job done on Saturday, not a new approach.




Photo Donal Lyons

“Galway City Council had not authorised the felling of any trees in Salthill Park. Without any doubt, there was no permission given by the council,” the spokesperson said, adding that the matter has been referred to the council’s law agent.

The resident also said he believed the neighbour wanted to have the trees removed to afford his home with “a panoramic view over Galway Bay”.

It outcome of this issue will be interesting, when/if it reaches the courts, to see if the judgement for felling such high value, mature, public amenity trees without permission will be more than the increased value in the house due to the new "panoramic view over Galway Bay"

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/local-residents-up-in-arms-as-council-investigate-felling-of-mature-trees-in-public-park-34899586.html

Google street view link to have a look at the trees as they were:

https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.2601694,-9.0799234,3a,75y,314.08h,92.63t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s20SONI-tSoJL5LvFJFzX3g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

A recent judgement was €50K for felling neighbours trees without permission:

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/circuit-court/man-to-pay-neighbour-50-000-for-cutting-down-his-trees-1.2626373

Oldtree

I can't find a list of TPO's for Galway City.

Only thing I can find on TPO's in Galway City Council is

Galway City Development plan 2011-2017

Policy 4.6 Urban Woodlands and Trees • Make Tree Preservation Orders for individual trees or groups of trees within the city, where appropriate.

The Draft Galway City Development plan 2017-2023

Policy 4.4.1 Green Spaces: Urban Woodlands and Trees
Make Tree Preservation Orders for individual trees or groups of trees within the city, where appropriate

FortySeven

If this was due to the view the property owner should be sued to the stone age. Selfish in the extreme. I've no doubt they will try to claim it was a fear of falling due to them leaning towards property. That or root ingress.

I wonder is there a history of permission applications?

Oldtree

FortySeven wrote: »

If this was due to the view the property owner should be sued to the stone age. Selfish in the extreme. I've no doubt they will try to claim it was a fear of falling due to them leaning towards property. That or root ingress.

They would need an arborists report to indicate that the trees were a danger to have any backing to the "falling on them" claim, as well as having furnished said report to the council.

FortySeven wrote: »

I wonder is there a history of permission applications?

Intresting thought, quick look at council planning map gives this one nearby, planning application 2008 for extend a roof (refused) and appeal (refused)

http://geo.galwaycity.ie/ePlan5/AppFileRefDetails/08708/0

Cant see the docs online in council website but An Bord Pleanala has inspectors reports..... mmmmmm

http://www.pleanala.ie/casenum/232718.htm

99nsr125

Good god what an ignorant A$$hole

There are ways to end the life of a tree without anyone
knowing, forum members probably know but I won't
posting that kind of information.

Oldtree

drove past these today, just the logs left in the park and becomes a bit clearer .....

https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.2608767,-9.0806478,3a,75y,239h,93.5t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sx9ZrRKcMfeE1tKkPifvf2Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

recedite

What were they, Leyland or some sort of cypress? I doubt they will be missed locally. Fair play to him. Its a very stupid and selfish thing they do in a lot of these "parks"; plant trees all around the perimeter and leave the centre completely open and barren. You wouldn't mind if it was a football pitch, but often they don't even allow ball games.

I know one person in South Dublin who has a problem along these lines. Horse chestnut trees overhanging their garden, blocking all their light, and very shortly now they will be smothering the place in falling leaves, as they do annually, leaving an unholy slippery mess. Numerous complaints to the council just fall on deaf ears. The same thing is probably going to have to happen.. the old ninja chainsaw job.

One or two copses of trees in the middle of the "park" would look better and wouldn't bother the neighbours, but this idea of planting a line of trees at the edge, as close as possible to the houses, its very bad planning and only antagonises people.

Oldtree

recedite wrote: »

I doubt they will be missed locally.

having spoken to some of the "locals", the trees will be missed.

Your friend can take the overhanging branches back to the boundary as long as it dosnt lead to the demise of the tree. However chestnuts are very prone to decay, and where they reshoot from wounds can be very weak joins. This could endanger your friends property or family/visitors. Ninja work as you call it will only get your friend into trouble.

Some advice for your friend that may be cheaper in the long run for them: get the tree assessed by an arborist to see if there is any element of danger to his/her family/property.

However I have to agree that there are far too many trees planted in the wrong place and not much thought put into the size the tree will eventually get to. In England the urban tree population is managed by an arborist on the council, no such luck here.

Right tree right spot

Robeman

I can sympathise with someone having their view spoiled by trees planted in the wrong place as I am in such a situation. If someone cut them down illegally can also sympathise as I expect that council probably were as unhelpful as they normally are when dealing with the public. To get rid of the trees blocking my view I would happily pay to plant twice \ three times the number of trees in a place where they added to rather than spoiled view. Will not suggest it though as expect it would be a complete waste of time.

johnsparkexile

One or two copses of trees in the middle of the "park" would look better and wouldn't bother the neighbours, but this idea of planting a line of trees at the edge, as close as possible to the houses, its very bad planning and only antagonises people.[/QUOTE]


Which came first, the park or the house? The trees were fairly mature looking at the pictures so were obviously there a long time. whoever's view was impeded if they always lived in that house would have been used to the trees being there.

If new owners are living in the house, they would have been aware of the trees and the lack of a view at time of purchase.

While having the trees there might have spoilt the view from their house, it also gave them some privacy from people in the park.

recedite

johnsparkexile wrote: »

Which came first, the park or the house?

It doesn't matter. A bad planting scheme is still bad.
Anyway, if they are Leylandi, they might not be as old as they look.

washman3

Mature trees my h##e.
They are the ugliest type of palm tree you will find, a total eyesore.
Shouldn't be near any stone wall or house. Whoever cut these should be commended.
Would there be the same 'outcry' if one of them fell on a group of kids during or after a storm.

Oldtree

recedite wrote: »

Anyway, if they are Leylandi, they might not be as old as they look.

washman3 wrote: »

They are the ugliest type of palm tree you will find, a total eyesore.

They arnt leylandii nor Palms and they are mature trees

washman3 wrote: »

Would there be the same 'outcry' if one of them fell on a group of kids during or after a storm.

The fear of something happening is not a way to live. Nonetheless it is an issue that is not taken seriously by councils here. A qualified arborist is the only professional that could be employed by the council who could assess the health of trees in the public urban areas and manage them accordingly. The council is after all responsible for the trees within its remit.

Oldtree

just found a article a few days after the op's post that clarifys a few points:

It’s understood the local authority will be pursuing a prosecution for criminal damage and illegal felling of trees – the penalty for which can include imprisonment for up to two years.

The Council is also expected to pursue the matter in the civil courts, seeking substantial costs for the damage and the replacement of the trees.

“We are not letting this go,” a Council spokesperson this week, adding that officials are in discussions with their law agents on how to proceed with the case.

He added that the trees had been inspected by an arborist several years ago and were found to be “perfectly fine”.

http://connachttribune.ie/council-vows-to-pursue-criminal-case-over-felled-salthill-park-trees-044/

Robeman

Oldtree wrote: »

just found a article a few days after the op's post that clarifys a few points:



http://connachttribune.ie/council-vows-to-pursue-criminal-case-over-felled-salthill-park-trees-044/

The law really is an ass Jail for cutting down a tree when many who have cut down people by assaulting them get no jail time.

recedite

Oldtree wrote: »

They arnt leylandii ..

Do you know what they are?

johnsparkexile

recedite wrote: »

Do you know what they are?

Doesn't matter, the resident had no right to get them cut down.

Oldtree

recedite wrote: »

Do you know what they are?

I think they are Cupressus macrocarpa, Monterey Cyprus,
(one parent of leylandii, the other being Cupressus nootkatensis, Nootica Cyprus)

Looks like a broadleaf got taken down too

recedite

And to be fair, branches of cypress often get brought into churches in Ireland on Palm Sunday and given to kids to hold as "palms" so there is some reason for people to sometimes use that as a common name, even if they are botanically (and visually) completely unrelated to real palms.

Oldtree

recedite wrote: »

And to be fair, branches of cypress often get brought into churches in Ireland on Palm Sunday and given to kids to hold as "palms" so there is some reason for people to sometimes use that as a common name, even if they are botanically (and visually) completely unrelated to real palms.

Yes, but palms is generally applied to any ever green that comes easy to hand at that time