Letters to the Editor do not reflect the opinions of The Reporter, its publisher or its staff. You can submit your own Letter to the Editor by email to News@ReadTheReporter.com. Please include your phone number and city of residence. The Reporter will publish one letter per person per week.
Dear Editor:
If you have ever walked down the streets of the Oakmont subdivision in Noblesville, you have probably noticed two things: the trees, and the uneven sidewalks.
Unfortunately for the trees and the homeowners that live in Oakmont, the two are not able to peacefully coexist. As a resident of Oakmont, I believe that not only is our neighborhood one of the prettiest in the city, but what makes it pretty is the mature tree canopies that line the streets. But beyond beauty, the trees have an impact on mental health, the heating and cooling costs of residents, improve air quality, prolong the life of asphalt by keeping it cooler, and increase property values which in turn increases the tax base (An Inconvenient Tree).
So, with all the added benefits of tree lined streets, why have the trees of Oakmont been labeled public enemy number one since 2017? The answer: sidewalks.
The sidewalks of Oakmont are in definite need of repair. In many spots they are uneven and have become a tripping hazard. We are thrilled that the city wants to ensure safe sidewalks for all but are saddened that they believe cutting down trees is the only way to make this happen.
In 2017, when the city first approached the neighborhood about cutting down 191 trees in order to fix the concrete, Oakmont resident, the late Rick Beaver of Beaver Concrete and Materials, recommended Noblesville pour thicker concrete to weigh down the roots like country clubs and other municipalities have done. Unfortunately, the city said this was not a possible solution. Instead, the city chose to leave the trees and not fix any sidewalks.
Fast forward to 2024, where the city has again decided that the only way they are able to repair sidewalks is to cut down mature trees. Because of this, 42 percent of the neighborhood trees have been slated to be cut down in June, with additional trees to be cut down in 2025. The city has stated that the trees belong to the city, and so they are able to decide their future. Due to the uneven sidewalks, streets needing resurfaced, and the age of our neighborhood, the city has stated that the only way they can fix all of these issues is by cutting down the trees.
Mayor Jensen has said he would like to have a 30-year fix to the sidewalk problem because he needs to think about the other 77,000 residents in Noblesville. But what he fails to realize is that the residents of Oakmont are also thinking about the other 77,000 residents of Noblesville, as well as the beauty of our entire city.
If this is the plan for the Oakmont neighborhood, is it not probably the plan for other neighborhoods as well?
We do not want other neighborhoods to have to go through what we have. We do not want other neighborhoods to have to worry about their property values going down or the beauty of their mature, established neighborhood being torn away.
Is the city’s new solution to tear down trees so they can pave streets and make sidewalks level? Or is this just punishment for Oakmont residents?
The city of Noblesville has been a Tree City USA member for the last 34 years. But, if the city’s only solution is to tear down mature trees so they are able to fix sidewalks and pave streets, will that streak soon come to an end?
We hope that the city is able to research other alternatives so that the beauty of our neighborhood as well as all neighborhoods in Noblesville can be maintained, while also having ADA compliant streets and sidewalks.
Click here to watch a video of a flyover in the Oakmont neighborhood.
Jamie Rychener
Noblesville
I am also a resident of this neighborhood who is imploring the city for alternatives to decimating our beautiful neighborhood tree population.
I have seen the mass cutting down of trees in Noblesville, Carmel and Westfield and this is a travesty. The developer of Oakmont Subdivision did not plan well in taking consideration of the tree roots upending the sidewalks. The developer should have followed the example late Rick Beaver of Beaver Concrete and Materials in pouring thicker concrete to weigh down the roots like country clubs and other municipalities have done. I believe the residents of Oakmont should have the final say about this situation. In order to save the trees, get rid of the sidewalk or repair the areas of the sidewalk running beside the trees with the example late Rick Beaver gave.