Winona Lake Officials Discuss Tree-Cutting Concerns With NIPSCO
Posted
Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
WINONA LAKE - Winona Lake town officials met with Northern Indiana Public Service Co. representatives Monday to discuss the town's concerns with tree-cutting practices in the town.
NIPSCO Manager of Communications and Public Affairs Mike Charbonneau and Jason Leitz, supervisor of forestry operations for NIPSCO, met at the town hall with Winona Lake Town Coordinator Craig Allebach and Winona Council President Joy Lohse.Lohse expressed the town's concern during the Feb. 26 council meeting with what she described as NIPSCO's lack of care when trimming or eliminating trees in the town. Another concern was tree branches being left behind for residents to clear and limbs being cut back too far.
"One of the town's assets is its urban forest, and there needs to be a cooperative effort to protect that and better communication between the town, residents and NIPSCO when trees are being cut," Lohse said Monday.
Allebach said Charbonneau contacted him Feb. 27 to request a meeting with town officials to hear the town's concerns.
Allebach said he received phone calls from three Winona Lake residents and one Warsaw resident since the Feb. 26 meeting regarding tree cuttings.
"The residents agreed to have trees trimmed and taken down by NIPSCO, but the biggest issues is, since the trees have been trimmed, is that there is no value in some of the trees because some of the tree limbs have been cut back too far," Allebach said.
Leitz said that in August and September NIPSCO spoke with Winona Lake residents to identify trees that could be considered to be removed rather than trimmed because of rotting and limbs interfering with power lines. He said some residents didn't respond to NIPSCO's attempts to contact them, or after approving the trimming, didn't understand what the tree would look like until after the trimming was completed.
"We realize there are concerns that need to be addressed, and we want to work with town officials and property owners to address the concerns," Leitz said.
After Monday's meeting, Allebach drove Charbonneau and Leitz around Winona Lake to show them about a dozen trees the town felt were cut back too far. Many of the trees were on Chestnut Street in Winona Lake.
Leitz showed Allebach a sugar maple tree at the corner of Fifth and Chestnut streets that NIPSCO marked to be taken down because it is hollow and has the potential to fall through power lines.
He said NIPSCO has marked approximately 50 trees in the town that have been inspected by NIPSCO and have been determined to be hazardous, rotted or are hollow and could fall through power lines.
"When it comes to our overall goal, it's number one safety and number two reliability," Charbonneau said.
Leitz said NIPSCO is required to have a homeowner's signature to cut down trees, but is not required to have permission for trimming or pruning of trees on properties.
He said NIPSCO is willing to work with the town and property owners to evaluate trees that the town and residents feel have been cut back too far, and possibly replace trees that need to come down.
Residents who feel their tree limbs have been cut too far back, need trees or limbs cut, or need debris picked up should call NIPSCO at 800-464-7726.
