Plans by the Cobb Department of Transportation to cut down trees in medians along Columns Drive are being delayed, after residents in the East Cobb community publicly complained to county officials over the weekend.
Cobb officials said Monday they won’t be moving ahead with the tree-cutting for now, after more than 1,000 people signed a petition in protest, entitled “STOP Cobb County’s Plans to Cut Down Trees on Columns Drive Median.”
Cobb DOT had planned to remove and replace oak and magnolia trees along most of the medians on Columns Drive, which runs along the Chattahoochee River from Johnson Ferry Road to the Cochran Shoals unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.
Cobb DOT cited the “significant maintenance” costs of maintaining the trees, some of which had reached the end of their lives, and safety hazards stemming as a result, after consulting with the county arborist.
Instead, the county will be re-evaluating to see which trees “pose an imminent risk to the travelling public,” and only those will be cut down, Cobb officials said in a statement Monday.
The petition was sent to the four sitting commissioners and other county officials, including with Cobb DOT.
The petition reads in part:
“We are local residents, runners, and cyclists whose daily lives have been graced by the majesty and beauty of the Oak and Magnolia trees along Columns Drive. These trees serve as an emblem of natural heritage, significantly enhancing the local aesthetic while also providing myriad environmental benefits. Regrettably, the Cobb County last week approved plans to cut down these mature trees, purportedly to reduce maintenance costs.
“We adamantly believe this decision would lead to a tragic loss of a Cobb County treasure that is not easily quantifiable in monetary terms.”
Both Cobb officials and Commissioner JoAnn Birrell said in statements to East Cobb News that initial plans were to cut trees in 11 of the 18 medians along Columns Drive, which is a popular pedestrian and biking path, and to replace most of them.
The cost of that work was to have been $215,000, with the funding coming from a contingency fund for former Commissioner Jerica Richardson.
“This project remained a priority, as three trees have fallen within the last month,” according to the county statement from Cobb DOT director Drew Raessler. “Work was originally scheduled to begin next week. However, we do understand the community concerns that have been raised.
“The plan is for [Cobb DOT] Road Maintenance to work with an arborist to scale the project down by identifying just the trees that pose an imminent risk to the travelling public. Just those trees will be removed and replaced with trees that match the character of the corridor.”
Columns Drive also is susceptible to flooding during heavy rains, and leaves and other tree debris can contribute to clogging up drains. Portions of the road were closed in September after flooding that was caused by the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
One of the signatories to the petition is resident Jeff Cohen, who told East Cobb News Monday that “the commissioners were discussing flood prevention and came up with this looney idea, rather than just cleaning the drains more often. We were blindsided.”
Before the county announced a delay in tre-cutting, other East Cobb community entities brought the matter to light.
Big Peach Running Co. on Johnson Ferry Road posted a message on its Facebook page urging signatures for the petition, as “our beloved Columns Drive is facing a challenge that could change its scenic charm. . . . These trees not only beautify our running, walking and cycling route but also provide essential environmental benefits. Let’s unite to preserve the natural heritage of our community.”
Raessler said in the statement that “we’re still working on the details of the revised scope of the work on Columns Drive and we will share those details when completed.”
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Good work saving the trees.