Trees, shrubs arrive in neighborhood

By Chris Mays

BRATTLEBORO — More than 325 trees and shrubs from three Vermont nurseries are to be planted in the space between backyards and Interstate 91 that was cleared of trees last year.

“We certainly respect the neighborhood and what their concerns are and we’re hoping this mitigates that and gets some of that privacy, in their opinion, back,” said Joe Russo, Vermont Agency of Transportation general manager for District 2. “That’s our intent.”

The first phase of the project began Tuesday.

“Immediately upon planting, the average shrub height will be between 4 and 5 feet on top of the berm,” Russo said. “Those are the shrubberies, different species or shrubs.”

The planting also included maple and cherry trees varying between 4 and 6 feet in height on the side of the state’s right-of-way facing the neighborhood. They will “eventually grow to be mature trees of varying heights,” said Russo, who expects the work to conclude by next week.

The project will add several thousand dollars to the more than $30,000 estimated by Russo to have gone into the tree clearing and work performed by VTrans since last year. He said his agency had been given guidance to remove all the trees in the neighborhood because they would become a hazard to the nearby homes.

“Our hope is that the state will do what’s right and provide an appropriate degree of screening and some protection for us so we can enjoy our property,” said Elliott Greenblott in the kitchen of his Winter Court home, where he was accompanied by his wife and has lived for about 30 years.

A few years ago, Greenblott said, he notified VTrans about dead trees and branches coming down in his backyard.

“They came by, did some minimal cutting,” he said. “It didn’t really solve the problem.”

Last spring, Greenblott reached out again. He said when he returned from a trip out West, a tree came down and destroyed a “substantial play structure” that had been built with pressure-treated wood. The tree was removed by VTrans.

In the fall of last year, the agency determined that trees along Winter Court and I-91 should be removed.

“Their decision was to clear cut rather than selectively remove the diseased trees,” said Greenblott.

A group of neighbors did not want “natural growth,” he said, so a berm was built behind homes after a decision made by VTrans early this year. But its height became an issue and the elevation was raised by a few feet.

Another bone of contention for Greenblott is what he sees as a dip in the berm from behind his house. He said the approximately 0.10-mile long berm is higher on the north and south ends.

Greenblott showed the Reformer how his view of the highway was slightly blocked on the first floor. He said there was no obstruction of the view from the second floor.

“Prior to a year ago, the space between our property line and the roadway was heavily forested,” he said. “You could not see the highway other than when all the leaves were gone. The other thing it’s done is by opening the backside of the house, it means wind, heat, whatever weather conditions, are more pronounced now than prior to when the work was done.”

Greenblott said if the property was private and not part of the state’s right-of-way, neighbors would have had more opportunities to overturn the decision to cut the trees. His complaints involve the sound and sight of the highway, as well as odor from the fumes of trucks and vehicles.

Larry Bober, who has lived in his home on Winter Court for about 40 years, said he thought the berm could have been a little higher, although his yard has some trees blocking the highway.

“But we’re going to live with it,” he said. “We’ve lived here all this time.”

Bober said he has some trees in his backyard, which helped block the highway. He said two other neighbors seemed satisfied with the work. Like Greenblott, he anticipated planting to begin this week.

“We’ll see,” Bober said. “As far as I know, right now, we’re satisfied.”

VTrans will “always strive to have everybody end up in a good situation,” Russo said. “That’s always the goal. It seems like a good goal to have. I’m hoping they will be satisfied. I’m appreciative of all the efforts we’re giving into it and the work of the neighborhood. They’ve been great about giving us input and letting us know what’s on their mind.”

Russo said the neighborhood and the agency had “a good partnership” but it was “not without obstacles.”

“We’re all in this together and we’re all fellow Vermonters,” he said. “We’re pretty hopeful we’ll have a good outcome for most people.”

Reach staff writer Chris Mays at [email protected], at @CMaysBR on Twitter and 802-254-2311, ext. 273.