Old Lyme — A town committee is considering whether to remove five trees that are causing the Ferry Road sidewalk to buckle.

First Selectman Tim Griswold and Tree Warden Thomas Degnan have spearheaded the project, which would replace uneven sidewalks on Ferry Road and eliminate some of the larger trees and roots that are causing the sidewalk to buckle. The Ferry Road Sidewalk Committee, a subcommittee of the Old Lyme Tree Commission formed in the winter of 2021, has met twice on the subject.

Griswold and Degnan have included James McClave and Deborah Ames, property owners adjacent to the trees, as well as other community members, in the Ferry Road committee meetings. "Though the trees are on town property, we are sensitive that people are attached to trees that are near their property," Griswold said.

McClave, whose family has resided on Ferry Road for over 60 years, believes that it would be a shame to remove some of the trees that have been there for as long as his family. He has shown considerable concern for the Zelcova trees — a type of Japanese ornamental tree — that line his property and has offered alternatives to the plan, such as rerouting the sidewalk around the trees.

"I'd certainly let them (the town) have an easement on my property so as not to kill the trees," McClave said. He also proposed moving the sidewalk to the opposite side of the street. At this point, no final decision has been made as to whether the five trees will be removed and the sidewalk replaced on the north side of the street or if the committee will decide to move the sidewalk to the south side of the street, where the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme is located.

Griswold said moving the sidewalk across the street would put it close to some homes and place the flow of traffic near peoples' windows. Another concern is those walking a sidewalk route from Lieutenant River Lane to Academy Street to Lyme Street to Ferry Road, a perfect block of connected sidewalks, then would have to cross the street to reach the new sidewalk. What seems like a minor inconvenience could be dangerous, as vehicles from the busy Route 156 tend to turn onto Ferry Road at higher speeds, which could endanger pedestrians following the newly proposed sidewalk path.

The initial budget for the Ferry Road project was $150,000, but has been increased by $60,000 due to additional engineering needs for larger tree and root systems and the supposition that construction estimates have increased from a year ago. Of that, $124,000 is funded from a Small Town Economic Assistance Program grant from the state, and the town will supplement funds for additional costs.

Should the town decide to replace the existing sidewalk, there is a due process for the tree removal. Degnan will post the trees for removal and attach a notice to the trees. Residents have a 10-day window to send written notice opposing the plan to the town. At that point, a hearing will be scheduled where they can plead their case but, ultimately, the tree warden makes the final decision. If no one opposes the removal formally, Degnan and Griswold still plan to hold a public information session for residents to keep them informed.

Degnan said that if town officials go with this plan, every effort will be made to avoid removing trees, but from an engineering standpoint, the five they have intended to remove are the best option as advised by Wade Thomas of Nathan L. Jacobson & Associates, a civil and environmental engineering firm. Degnan expects to get some resistance from the community and comments.

"It's trees. They're an important piece of the community. People are passionate about trees," he said. "The character of the town is made by tree-lined streets."