Overgrown trees on Queens block creating safety hazard at night, homeowner says
A Queens homeowner says that overgrown city trees on her block are creating a safety hazard at night.
Social worker Sharon Schaeffer has lived in Oakland Gardens for 35 years. But she says a growing canopy of city trees has made it increasingly difficult to get around her neighborhood with overgrown limbs blocking the streetlights.
"They're beautiful. I want the trees, but I can't have it to be so dangerous for me," she said.
Schaeffer says walking has been a challenge since she suffered a stroke decades ago. She worries a fall in the dark could be devastating. Meanwhile, she says, one streetlight across the street has been out for months, further reducing visibility.
"I walk with a walker. I have tremendous mobility issues," she said. "You're testing me with this, and it should not be."
She says she began contacting the city for pruning since last year, but the Parks Department ultimately denied her request. Now, she says city branches are crowding her landscaping as roots push through the sidewalk in front of her home.
"Somebody, help me because this is safety," Schaeffer said.
CBS News New York followed up with the parks department, which says it maintains more than 650,000 street trees and must reserve equipment, staff and resources for the most severe conditions. The agency adds that trees in front of Schaeffer's home aren't due for a trim for several years.
"There's so many things happening now with storms, tree branches falling all over the place, and so the need has become a lot greater," Councilmember Linda Lee said.
Lee says overgrown trees are among the most common constituent complaints. She says $30 million in new City Council funding for the parks department aims to stabilize staffing for tree trimming.
"Now that we have it baselined in the budget, we know it's going to be in the budget every single year," she said.
Lee says she is working to assist Schaeffer while looking into expanding the criteria for priority trimming cases.
Meanwhile, the DOT told CBS News New York:
"Street lighting is essential to the safety, livability, and sustainability of New York City, helping to reduce crashes, enhance pedestrian safety, and keep parks and public spaces accessible into the evening. NYC DOT is working closely with Con Edison to begin repairs on the streetlight at this location in the next few weeks. Preparations are underway to replace the foundation of this streetlight so wiring repairs can be made to restore lighting."
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