RICHMOND, Va. — Residents along Leonard Parkway in Richmond are raising concerns about city-owned trees on the street that have damaged homes and vehicles, with the most recent incident occurring when there wasn't even severe weather.
"We all are concerned,” Red Robinson said.
While residents appreciate the historic, beautiful and eco-friendly aspects of the trees, they've become increasingly worried about safety hazards.
"They've fallen many times around here," Robinson said.
"We've had multiple occasions where limbs have fallen down and damaged cars that are parked out front,” said Dr. Philip Larrabee.
Last week, a city tree split on the street and fell on two homes and cars when the weather was perfectly clear.
“That was a tremendous limb that fell across three yards and three cars,” Robinson recalled.
Just over a month ago, another city tree on the street fell completely during a storm.
"They're beautiful trees, but there are issues in bad weather,” Larrabee said.
A viewer reached out to CBS 6 about the Leonard Parkway trees after seeing Melissa Hipolit’s previous reporting on concerns from residents in the Northside about city-owned trees falling on houses in the Rosedale neighborhood.
People there said they wanted their city-owned trees assessed, pruned, and even taken down if necessary.
The Leonard Parkway residents want the same.
"It is just something they need to take a little more concern with because people have property damage to their cars and possibly to their houses,” Larrabee said.
CBS 6 found several requests for tree maintenance on Leonard Parkway in the Richmond 311 system. Two cite multiple dead limbs and another references branches falling with storms. All requests state they've been assigned.
Regarding the tree that split last week, city spokeswoman Paige Hairston said the city arborist last assessed that tree in 2022 and stated it was in "good condition." The tree was pruned at that time, she added.
Hipolit sent pictures of the tree that split last week to Joel Koci, a board certified master arborist who is tree risk assessment qualified by the International Society of Arboriculture.
He said from what he can tell, proper end pruning could have potentially prevented the limb from splitting.
He also said there are additional limbs that need to be pruned.
"Would you like to see the city do more?” Hipolit asked Robinson.
"Yes we would,” he replied. "They need to take care of them a little better, come and check everything around here."
Hairston with the city said tree inventories are typically collected every 3-5 years, and the city is in the process of updating its inventory.
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
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