Jonathan Jackson
The Union-Recorder
MILLEDGEVILLE —
After a brief pause in the project to allow for a review of trees selected for removal at the Milledgeville Housing Authority sites, the tree cutting has resumed.
Large hardwood trees — some with exposed roots, some with diseased portions, and some healthy trees — have been removed as part of a site improvement plan that will result in graded, landscaped yards for residents of the housing developments, according to MHA officials.
The plan kicked off in March with a ribbon cutting in the yard of a unit with severe erosion, exposed roots and potential foundation undermining.
The improvement plan, paid for by money from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus funds, called for the landscaping at all three of the authority’s housing developments. The funds were distributed among housing authorities across the nation. The Milledgeville Housing Authority board voted to use the funds for the landscaping plan last year.
Residents at Graham, Habersham and Wray homes will be left with sodded yards and small, newly planted trees, but will be without shade from the large trees removed under the plan, a concern voiced by a group of local residents who have called the MHA plan into question.
The group asked the housing authority to review the plan and stop the tree cutting. Through a series of meetings, the group met with the housing authority board and representatives of the architectural firm that is overseeing the project. The group asked the board to halt the cutting and the board voted to ask the firm to re-assess the selection of trees slated for removal. A representative from the Georgia Forestry Commission accompanied representatives from the company as they recently took another look at the trees selected for removal.
One member of the group said she feels the input from the group as well as from the GFC representative is being ignored.
“We were expecting they would call a meeting regarding Monday’s meeting [with the GFC representative],” group member Debbie Harshbarger said. “But now the tree cutting is back on.”
Work at the first area of the site is almost completed and has resulted in a manicured, sodded yard with new, small trees planted, but gone are the shade trees that the group says provide shade for residents. Only residents of Habersham Homes have central heat and air-conditioned houses, but many residents, according to housing director Anitra Harden, own window unit air conditioners and use them. Almost every unit in Graham Homes has at least one window unit air conditioner.
Harden said following the re-assessment, two trees that were marked for removal will not be cut down.
She said the remaining trees will be removed as originally intended.
“I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had a resident tell me that they prayed during a thunderstorm that a large limb wouldn’t fall down on their home,” Harden said.
For Harden, and for the board, the issue has been safety and asset protection, she said.
The landscaping project removes the potential for roots to damage sidewalks and infrastructure; grading and the addition of grass helps curb erosion, which Harden said in the long run will be beneficial for the residents and for the authority.
Monday reports indicated a similar project under way at the Warner Robins Housing Authority, where they authority intends to use a portion of $800,000 in stimulus money to remove trees that threatened infrastructure at the Houston County development, according to Macon news reports.
Harden said the project at the Milledgeville Housing Authority will be complete by the end of the year.
