Mineola Residents Fight Village To Save Trees From Being Chopped Down

MINEOLA, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Colossal, majestic trees have flanked Foch Boulevard in Mineola for years.

"The trees are an important thing to everyone," said resident Frank Gunn.

"The tree is the longest living resident of a community, and that's what I believe -- these trees are part of our community," Cathryn Mezzo, another resident, told CBS2's Reena Roy.

So like a true community, neighbors banded together last week when workers chopped three trees down in the area. People protested, telling village officials they're barking up the wrong tree. Some of them even blocked trees with their cars, saying they aren't just beautiful, but vital for the environment.

"It was my only hope. I'm afraid I'm going to leave my house and come home to a stump," Mezzo said. "Sometimes you have to take risks to take a stand."

"I think everyone feels the same way," Gunn said. "The trees deserve to live."

The mayor's office said the trees have to go because otherwise their raised roots would get in the way during reconstruction of the gutters, roadways and curbs.

"I've seen roads get repaved without trees coming down, so I don't understand why that has to happen," Mezzo said. "I'm just asking for a dialogue with the mayor."

Residents say no one notified them ahead of the removal.

The village clerk said the project was announced publicly in the spring and that staff doesn't usually notify individual homeowners unless they need access to their property. Mayor Scott Strauss also posted a letter online to address community concern, saying the village has evaluated each tree and will only take down those that have outgrown the area between the road and the sidewalk.

"They're important to all of us, and they don't want to make it look like it's all bareness," Gunn said.

The fate of the remaining trees remains unknown. Officials say once construction is done, they'll replace the trees with more road-friendly ones.