Newport Tree Board approves removal of Callery pear at 806 Overton Street

The Newport Tree Board on Feb. 12 voted to allow removal of a Callery pear tree on the city tree lawn at 806 Overton Street after homeowners raised safety concerns and the city arborist recommended removal.

Homeowners Ashley and Warren Hinkle, who filed the removal request, told the board the mature tree has significant hollowness and leans over their house. "We started to feel like the tree is a ticking time bomb," one of the applicants said, and they reported that repeated topping by the utility (referred to as Duke in the record) and rot contributed to the hazard. The applicants also said a contractor who removed raccoons from their attic pointed to the tree as a likely entry point.

The city arborist, appearing for the board, said the tree is "unbalanced" and "not the right tree in the right place" and that the combination of root rot and canopy dieback made continued retention questionable. "Let's do it. That's just my opinion," the arborist said, recommending removal.

Board member Evan Brogheimer moved to approve the removal (Case NTB 26-1); the motion was seconded and passed on a roll-call vote. Board members voting yes included Kevin Brokemer, Neil Connor, Brent Owens, Garrett Reinhart and Kevin Ellison.

The board noted that replacement planting is encouraged and that homeowners should consult the city arborist on species and siting to avoid future conflicts with utilities. The application record indicated the Hinkles plan to replace the removed tree where feasible but may be constrained by utilities and stump size.

The board moved on after formalizing the approval; staff and the applicants were advised to coordinate on replacement species and timing.