Less snow equals more time for tree trimming

The mostly mild winter has afforded Fairfield?s street department more time for tasks such as trimming trees.

Without snow to haul, public works superintendent Darrel Bisgard said his crew has been able to police overgrown trees.

According to city code, trees hanging over sidewalks need to leave 7 feet of clearance and not encroach on the width of the sidewalk. Additionally, trees along the street must be behind the curb and branches at least 12 feet up to give city dump trucks clearance.

?We?ve done more trimming than in the past,? Bisgard said.

In at least two cases, whole trees have been removed.

?They were starting to drop big limbs from up above,? Bisgard said. ?They were rotting from the top down.?

Any time the city crew suspects a tree is dead or rotting Browns Tree Service is asked to complete an assessment.

The service handled removal of the tree at 306 W. Briggs Ave. Tuesday and the tree at 402 W. Broadway Ave. Thursday. The city provides roadblocks for the work and hauls away the pieces once it?s complete.

Bisgard said the two trees cut down this week had lost limbs and caused damage to vehicles.

?People have been pretty patient with us,? Bisgard commented, also encouraging residents to trim their own trees before the city has to.

Last fall, several trees along D Street between Burlington Avenue and Madison Avenue also were removed.

Bisgard said that work was done in preparation for replacement of the street, which will be a partially federally funded project.