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Church working to make amends for chopped-down trees

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Tree stumps

EUGENE, Ore. -- A local church that cut down some trees on city property is making progress on replacing those trees and reimbursing the city.

Back on January 12, neighbors of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on River Road in Eugene spotted crews at the church cutting down trees next to the church’s parking lot. Officials with the city of Eugene came down and put a stop to it because the trees were in the city’s right-of-way between the church and the public sidewalk, but not before three trees were cut down. Members of the church said they thought the trees were on their property, and were being removed for safety reasons.

Church and city officials began discussing what it would cost to reimburse the city for the trees, and what it would take to replace them. Officials said a third-party appraiser is currently working to determine the value of the trees removed so the city can be reimbursed. Church and city representatives both said chopping down the trees was a terrible mistake and a miscommunication, and voiced a commitment to righting the wrong.

“I think this situation outlines how important it is for people to, if they don't know if a tree is theirs, is a private tree or a public tree, but is in the right of way, close to the edge of the street, rather a business or a residential person to call the city and verify if it is or isn't,” said Spencer Crawford, the Urban Forestry Supervisor for the city of Eugene.

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