Baltimore County neighbors upset after cherry blossom trees were suddenly cut down

Neighbors along a street in Perry Hall, in Baltimore County, are outraged after they said dozens of cherry blossom trees were suddenly cut down, which permanently changed the aesthetic of their community, without warning.

Residents in the Moore's Orchard neighborhood say the trees along Peach Blossom Avenue and East Joppa Road were one of the area's defining features, especially during the spring bloom, when families and couples regularly stopped for photos.

"My jaw was just on the ground. I was so upset," neighbor Hannah Dietz said.

Baltimore County officials told CBS News Baltimore the trees were removed after their arborist determined they were causing ongoing sidewalk damage.

"The county arborist determined that the trees needed to be removed to prevent continued sidewalk damage," the email said.

County officials said the arborist authorized crews to remove the trees on May 18, 2026, with stump grinding scheduled for the first week of June. 

Officials also said temporary sidewalk patches will be replaced with permanent repairs once the stumps are removed.

Community members are "disappointed"

What was once a fully tree-lined roadway is now marked by a row of stumps along Peach Blossom Avenue and East Joppa Road.

"I think a lot of people are really disappointed, especially people who got to see them every spring," Dietz said.

Dietz said she was stunned when she came home from work and discovered the trees had been removed.

"I pulled down the street, and they were gone," she said.

Neighbors told CBS News Baltimore they figured the trees were removed because roots had damaged sidewalks and created potential safety hazards. Several patched sections of sidewalk remain near the stumps.

"Nobody knew it was happening"

Many residents said they didn't expected the county to remove dozens of trees without warning the community.

"Nobody knew it was happening. Nobody expected it," a resident said.

Baltimore County Councilman David Marks criticized the decision in a social media post, writing in part: "We're appalled by what appears to be a clear-cutting of the trees at the Moore's Orchard neighborhood by the Baltimore County Department of Public Works and Transportation."

Marks told CBS News Baltimore that his office has been told the county will be accelerating the replacement of the trees and the sidewalk.