Back to search results
Watertown Public Shade Tree Hearing
Tuesday October 21, 2025
Clickable Transcript Printable Transcript Agenda
The order of items in transcripts is the chronological order in which they were taken up. Some Agenda items may have been skipped.
MIKE15.05 MICIELI15.05 -15.05 TOWN15.05 OF15.05 WATERTOWN15.05 -15.05 Good15.05 afternoon,15.21 everybody.15.7 I'm16.82 going17.05 to17.3 go17.3 ahead17.38 and17.61 call17.7 this17.94 meeting18.1 to18.34 order.18.57 This19.3 is19.54 a19.77 tree20.02 hearing20.34 for20.98 the21.3 removal21.45 of21.86 a21.94 street22.1 tree22.41 at22.82 2223.14 Green23.86 Street.24.1 I25.24 just25.4 want25.48 to25.8 make25.8 one26.04 correction,26.28 before27.08 we27.32 get27.4 started.27.64 I27.96 stated28.12 that28.44 the28.68 tree28.84 was29.08 1429.32 inches29.8 in30.12 diameter.30.36 It's31.16 actually31.4 closer31.72 to32.12 24.32.36 That33.16 was33.32 a33.56 mistake33.64 on33.96 my34.12 part.34.36 So35 I35.32 just35.32 want35.48 to35.8 clarify35.8 that.36.28 At37.16 this37.32 point37.56 in37.72 time,37.96 I38.28 did38.52 receive38.76 one39.24 written39.48 objection.39.8 And41.05 as41.3 such,41.53 the41.93 tree42.17 will42.49 remain,42.73 and43.22 the47.13 summary47.3 of47.61 this47.7 hearing47.85 will48.17 be48.34 forwarded48.49 over48.98 to49.3 the49.53 city51.38 manager51.61 who52.17 will52.34 then52.49 make52.73 a52.98 decision53.13 on53.53 that.53.7 So55.39 at55.71 this55.87 point,56.11 the56.99 tree57.15 will57.39 remain,57.55 until58.27 a58.75 decision58.91 is59.31 made59.47 by59.71 the59.87 city59.95 manager.60.27 Any63.07 comments,63.39 Chris64.11 or64.43 Amit?71.34
71.34 CHRIS71.34 PETERSEN71.34 -71.34 RESIDENT71.34 -71.34 Sure.71.34 I71.5 can71.58 go71.66 first.71.98 So72.62 join73.17 the73.42 call73.5 to73.81 be73.9 in74.06 favor74.22 of74.62 the74.86 tree's75.09 removal.75.42 I76.06 am76.22 the76.94 owner76.94 occupant77.34 of77.73 2078.06 Green78.38 Street.78.62 So,79.58 the80.86 tree80.86 is81.17 in81.5 the81.5 front81.5 yard81.73 in82.06 between82.22 my82.62 neighboring82.86 lot83.66 in83.9 the84.06 condo,84.14 202284.62 Green86.06 Street.86.38 And,87.95 you88.19 know,88.43 just88.67 generally88.99 speaking,89.47 this90.67 is90.91 not90.99 something91.23 that91.63 I91.79 would91.87 take92.11 lightly92.59 as93.15 a93.31 decision.93.55 Have94.03 a94.27 large94.27 tree94.59 in94.75 the94.91 backyard94.99 with95.47 no95.71 intentions95.87 to96.35 move96.43 it96.59 and96.75 generally96.91 appreciate97.31 the97.79 space97.87 that98.19 trees98.35 provide99.15 but99.71 a99.87 shade.100.03 But100.51 in101.77 this101.92 instance,102.17 the102.64 tree102.89 has103.13 already103.36 caused103.77 sufficient104.97 damage105.53 to106.17 my106.33 shared107.13 property.107.44 We've108.56 spent108.97 close109.92 to110.25 $10,000110.41 to111.44 replace111.6 our112 sewer112.17 main112.48 due112.81 to113.05 extensive113.69 damage114.17 caused114.56 by114.89 the115.05 roots115.13 of115.44 the115.53 tree.115.69 If116.78 you're116.94 going117.02 onto117.34 our117.9 front118.22 walkway,118.62 there119.74 is119.98 significant120.62 damage121.26 from121.58 roots121.9 breaking122.3 through.122.62
122.94 We122.94 don't123.18 have123.34 a123.58 level123.66 walkway.124.06 You125.58 know,125.82 elderly126.38 people126.86 living127.18 on127.5 our127.58 street,127.82 also128.62 being128.94 across129.18 the129.5 street129.66 from129.9 Perkins130.74 students’131.06 housing,131.53 generally132.57 have133.06 concerns133.29 about133.78 the134.01 safety134.09 of134.57 the134.74 driveway134.81 in135.29 front135.46 of135.57 the135.69 house135.85 on136.66 top136.81 of137.06 existing137.46 structural138.01 damage138.5 and139.29 potential139.61 future140.09 concerns140.41 as140.89 the141.13 tree's141.29 roots141.61 kind141.94 of142.33 move142.33 through.142.5 So,142.97 So,143.15 again,143.31 not143.47 something143.71 I144.03 take144.19 lightly,144.43 but144.83 has145.15 already145.31 been145.63 very146.51 costly146.83 to147.31 myself,147.55 and148.03 I'm148.27 concerned148.51 of148.91 future148.99 damage149.31 to149.71 the149.87 property150.03 as150.51 well150.67 as150.91 general151.07 safety151.47 concerns.151.87 Unfortunately,153.87 my154.43 neighbors154.59 next154.99 door155.23 is155.55 unable155.71 to156.11 make156.35 this156.67 call156.91 either,157.15 but157.47 we're157.71 starting157.95 to158.27 see158.43 going158.94 into159.17 the159.41 neighboring159.5 properties159.97 as160.38 well.160.61 So160.78 I160.94 think161.09 outside161.74 of162.06 existing162.22 damage162.61 to163.01 my163.33 property,163.5 I164.06 think164.13 others164.45 along165.09 the165.41 street165.5 are165.81 also165.89 at166.22 risk166.29 for166.53 future166.78 damage167.09 and167.41 expenses.167.66
169.5 MICIELI169.5 -169.5 So,169.5 Chris,169.66 thank170.22 you170.38 for170.61 that.170.78
176.99 AMIT176.99 MUKHERJEE176.99 -176.99 RESIDENT176.99 -176.99 Hi.176.99
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
I179.07 just179.23 walked179.47 down179.71 that,179.95 I180.59 live180.67 nearby,180.91 I181.47 walk181.71 down181.71 the181.95 street,182.11 regularly.182.75 I183.87 saw184.1 the184.19 sign,184.43 and184.75 I184.91 just184.99 kept185.22 wanting185.47 to185.78 find185.94 out186.26 why186.59 it186.91 was,186.99 why188.19 the188.43 proposal188.59 was189.22 put189.47 up189.63 to189.78 take191.71 it191.87 down,192.03 whether192.75 there193.06 was193.22 something194.19 wrong194.67 with194.99 the195.15 tree195.38 or195.71 not.195.87 I've196.26 lived197.43 in198.07 Watertown198.23 in198.79 this198.95 area199.19 since199.99 the200.31 mid-1980s.201.51 So,202.71 I203.83 just203.83 expressed204.23 concern.204.63 I205.83 am205.99 not206.23 an206.39 expert206.63 in207.35 this,207.51 so207.83 I208.15 am208.31 not208.47 going208.71 to208.95 voice209.92 an210.24 opinion.210.47 I211.35 just211.59 wanted211.84 to212.16 know212.31 what212.63 the212.88 reasons213.12 were.213.59 And214.72 if215.44 the215.75 experts217.19 are217.88 in217.88 as220.72 a220.96 house221.03 owner,221.35 I221.68 could221.75 sympathize222 with222.63 you,222.72 Chris.222.96 But224.27 as224.51 if224.67 I225.07 am225.15 not225.39 an225.55 expert,225.79 I'm226.11 very226.35 clear226.51 about226.83 that.227.07 If227.39 the227.71 people228.83 who229.15 are229.31 experts229.55 in230.11 looking231.31 after231.63 trees231.95 in232.27 the232.35 neighborhood232.59 say233.63 that233.87 it234.03 has234.19 to234.35 be234.51 taken234.67 down,234.91 I'll235.23 defer235.47 to235.79 them.235.95 If236.19 they236.35 say236.51 it236.67 shouldn't236.83 be,237.15 I237.71 will237.79 defer238.03 to238.35 them238.43 as238.75 well.238.83 Okay?239.53
241.44 MICIELI241.44 -241.44 Thank241.44 you,241.69 Amit.241.84 So243.05 as243.37 I243.61 stated243.69 at244 the244.09 beginning244.17 of244.56 the244.65 meeting,244.72 I245.44 did245.61 receive245.77 a246 written246.17 objection,246.49 in247.05 which247.21 case,247.44 the248.09 tree248.25 will248.41 not248.65 be248.81 removed248.97 at249.53 this249.69 point249.84 in250.09 time.250.25 Basically,252.48 what's253.36 going253.6 to253.76 happen253.76 is254 I'm254.16 going254.32 to254.56 give254.64 a254.8 summary254.88 of255.2 this255.28 hearing255.52 to255.76 the255.92 city256.08 manager,256.32 who257.36 will257.6 then257.76 make258 a258.24 decision.258.32 So259.6 up260.32 until260.48 that260.88 point,261.04 unfortunately,262.32 things263.52 are263.84 going264.08 to264.32 stay265.04 the265.28 same265.36 as265.6 they265.76 are265.92 for266 now.266.16 So,267.38 hopefully,267.85 I268.25 have268.33 a268.5 decision268.57 from268.81 the268.97 city269.06 manager269.29 soon.269.62 I269.85 should270.01 be270.1 able270.25 to270.38 get270.5 something270.65 put270.97 together271.13 and271.45 over271.62 to271.77 him,271.85 hopefully,272.5 by272.89 the273.06 end273.13 of273.29 this273.38 week.273.54 So,273.85 just274.74 be274.89 on275.06 the275.21 lookout275.29 for275.53 that.275.69 Alright?275.85
276.97 PETERSEN276.97 -276.97 Thank276.97 you277.13 very277.29 much.277.53 And277.85 when278.18 do278.18 we278.25 expect278.41 to278.89 hear279.54 any279.78 follow279.94 ups280.02 on280.18 this?280.42
281.14 MICIELI281.14 -281.14 Chris,281.14 you281.38 could281.54 shoot281.7 me281.86 an282.02 email,282.18 and283.22 I'll283.46 follow-up283.7 with284.02 you284.18 through284.34 that.284.58 Eventually,286.18 it'll286.58 be286.82 posted286.98 to287.3 the,287.46 triggering287.78 minutes288.26 as288.66 well.288.82
289.46 PETERSEN289.46 -289.46 Got289.46 it.289.7 Okay.290.02 And291.14 thanks291.14 for291.14 your291.14 help.291.14
291.14 MICIELI291.14 -291.14 Alright.291.14 Great.291.46 Thank291.7 you.291.94 Thank292.02 you.292.18
292.18