Naples residents upset over Banyan Tree cut without permission

NAPLES, Fla. – A woman is upset about a Banyan Tree that was cut down in her neighborhood. WINK News has learned the city-owned tree was butchered without their permission.

“These trees have been here over 40 – 50 years,” said Janet Kelly.

Kelly has lived on Springline Drive since 1991. She said she was horrified when she came home last week and saw a Banyan Tree being cut down.

“I did try to stop it, it didn’t work in this case which I feel awful about.”

Kelly said the person who owns the lot where the tree once stood is building a multimillion dollar home.

City leaders said that builder hired a company to trim the tree.

“The term is hat racking, basically you just go in and cut the tree back 60 percent or so,” said Mayor John Sorey.

That’s where the problem lies. The tree is technically on city property, is protected by the city and is supposed to be trimmed by the city.

“We have a state law that the maximum fine that we can access for cutting down a city owned tree is $5,000” said Mayor Sorey.

But instead of a fine, the builder agreed to pay about $6,000 to remove what was left of the tree and plant a new one.

“Accident or no accident, you know I think something more needs to be done to the builders or owners that damage these trees,” said Kelly.

The arborist for the city tells WINK News removing the tree was a tough decision. He says after the company illegally trimmed it, maintaining the tree would have cost too much. He said the tree would have also been a future liability.