Tuesday, January 21, 2014

ROCKVILLE RESIDENTS WANT ANSWERS ON TREE REMOVALS

Maria and Tom Luginbill sought answers to (so far) unanswered questions regarding the removal of two trees co-owned by two property owners on Wall Street in Rockville. Maria Luginbill said her Community Forum appearance last Monday evening was her latest attempt to get a response from the city. She said that only by attending Mayor Bridget Newton's drop-in meeting Monday was she able to get the gears turning towards a resolution.

A dispute between a new-home builder and the Luginbills apparently took several unpleasant turns over the last four years. "I've been threatened, the police have come," Tom Luginbill testified Monday night. Ultimately, two trees co-owned by the Luginbills and the builder's clients were taken down without clear evidence of who gave permission for the removal, Maria Luginbill said. Under city rules, this should not have been possible. Both co-owners must agree to remove the trees, under normal circumstances.

The removal of the trees was "very, very painful for me," Maria Luginbill testified. "We lost our privacy screen...[Our] entire quality of life [was] effected immensely."

Both Luginbills acknowledged it is too late to reverse what has happened, but asked the Mayor and Council to assist them in getting answers from city staff as to how this action occurred.

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