CLEVELAND — Residents in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood are up in arms after recent tree trimming along West 14th Street, Scranton Road, University Road, and many other side streets.

“I think that’s a shame because if you could see how they trimmed them, those trees are probably going to die in a few years,” said Tremont resident, Wally Skoropos.

“I was furious. It’s gonna take years for those trees to grow back. Our neighborhood has to look at them,” Ward 3 Councilman Kerry McCormack told Fox 8.

McCormack says the trimming was done by contractors hired by First Energy to prevent future power outages.

“It looks like they were in a hurry and didn’t care. They could have easily have shaped it differently,” said Denys Morgan, resident.

Councilman McCormack says he will voice those concerns when he meets with First Energy officials Thursday.

“I get it, we gotta clear for the power lines. However, we need a trained arborist with them and accompanying these tree trimmers as they are doing this,” said McCormack.

Meantime, First Energy released a statement that reads in part,

The work we do helps reduce the frequency and duration of power outages, especially those associated with severe weather.
The tree care professionals we employ use “directional” pruning techniques, which helps to direct future tree growth away from power lines and minimize regrowth.

According to Councilman McCormack, there is a new ordinance addressing tree removal and trimming that will be introduced in a couple weeks when city council gets back from summer session.

He says it will regulate how a tree can be pruned, requirements around replacing trees when removed, as well as the establishment of a tree preservation fund.