Let the sun shine on West Pleasant

The latest controversy over felling trees in New London makes it sound like the city's Public Works Department is hatchet happy.

Well, it's not.

The plan to cut down two dozen towering oaks on West Pleasant Street not only has the backing of residents who live there, but also the previous City Council. Which makes one wonder why the sitting council has stalled the project with its newly enacted moratorium on cutting down trees.

Clearly, councilors need to talk to one another and to city staff. In the midst of an ongoing road improvement project last year, questions were raised - and answered - about the number of trees the city was cutting down because they were sickly or destructive to infrastructure.

Trees are aesthetically pleasing and environmentally friendly, but all grown up in urban settings their roots foul underground utility lines and rip up streets and sidewalks.

On West Pleasant Street, the oaks are so darn big and plentiful that they tower over homes, yards and driveways and seasonally rain down acorns. They're so dense, the sun is blocked and buildings and vehicles develop a mold-like coating.

Every West Pleasant resident agreed the oaks had to come down. Public works had a plan. They had equipment and manpower ready to do the job and the power company ready to assist.

Lift the moratorium and let the sun shine on West Pleasant again.