Large tree must go, city says

Concern about the fate of a tree on East Depot Street led to a small public hearing Tuesday between some downtown business people and city officials.

Jennifer Templeton of Templeton Insurance started a petition to save the large tree in front of the business that is slated to be replaced by a pair of single stem crepe myrtles.

The design of the foliage on and near the square had been the topic of debate for months, with public hearings involving downtown merchants, design firms and the city council.

But last Friday, as workers prepared to remove the tree to make room for the new ones, Templeton and her mother Kay Templeton expressed concern about the action. Shelbyville Mayor Wallace Cartwright and city manager Ed Craig spoke to both Templetons about the matter, but Jennifer began a petition to stop the removal.

On Tuesday, Craig and Cartwright met with a handful of downtown business owners and said that the tree in question is too large for the spot and would overlap the building. The present tree will likely grow to a height of nearly 40 feet, while the crepe myrtle trees to be planted will be 10 foot high and will reach a height of 16 to 20 feet.

Kay Templeton said she is worried about their business sign being obscured by the new trees. She also said she was not aware that the tree was to be replaced.

Leaving the tree in its current spot would also create a non-symmetrical design on East Depot Street and "would look ragged," Craig said.

Craig added that the main reason that the redesign was approved was to address the concerns of downtown merchants, who said in previous meetings that the views of their signs and storefronts were being blocked by the foliage.

The new design calls for 29 new trees, with 14 around the square and 12 on Depot Street. A total of 12 trees have already been removed, either because they were in bad shape or they have been topped improperly. The remaining trees have been kept "because they're good looking and haven't created any sort of a problem, and we can shape them," Craig said.

Another problem, such as with the tree in front of the Templetons' business, was that the trees were multi-branched, Craig said. "It is continuing to grow and will grow huge. We have to trim it in a away that will be unattractive."

"The whole thing is appearance and to really have something special."

Jennifer said she understood, but also wondered why a symmetrical design could not be done with the existing tree. Doing so would create an imbalance in the design, Craig and other merchants said. Cartwright added it is not possible to find a tree to match the existing one.

One merchant said he signed the petition because he did not realize that a new tree would be planted in the old one's place.

The replacement trees will be delivered next week and the design plan will proceed, Craig said.