Community Update

Three or four weeks ago the city came and cut down a a beautiful and healthy tree in front of my house.  Horrified, i called to find out why and was told it was slated for removal due to "storm damage"  (a limb fell off 2 years ago).  I immediately put in a request for a new one.  A week ago I saw that the city had paved the spot.  Again I called and was even more horrified to find out that no new tree would be put into that place because the sidewalk is less than 6 feet wide.  Is there ANYWHERE in Somerville that has 6 foot wide sidewalks?  Because there are none around MY house and with the poor quality ornamental pears falling to pieces my entire neighborhood will be deforested in 5 years.  That means a blazing dust bowl around me every summer with no green leaves, no place for the birds and no cooling shade.  That means more AC use.  Because this is due to a state mandated law requiring handicap access I highly doubt the rule will change.  We need some creative solution to this potentially devastating trend.  Our tree city will become a dust city.  Plus I really don't like looking into the bedroom windows of the house across the way!