Officials Address Burr Place Residents' Complaints

Officials continue to take steps to get the property owner of the wooded area which borders Burr Place to properly maintain it as some residents who live directly across the way continue to voice their woes against the care for the area.

Some residents have come forward at the last two mayor and council meetings with complaints which include maintenance of the area and the concern that many of the trees on this neighboring property threaten their homes which are right across the way.

The borough’s DPW has at times come to clean out the debris at the base of the wooded area however Superintendent Bill Spindler and borough officials say it is not the borough's responsibility as it is private property therefore the property owner of Park Terrace Avenue apartments is responsible. Spindler stated at the Sept. 27 meeting that the issue has been brought to the property maintenance department. 

Mike Kronyak, borough administrator, also confirmed this week that the manager of the property has been notified and the borough is working to get them to maintain the area.

During the council meeting Tuesday, Mayor Rose Heck suggested that they consider having borough attorney Ralph Chandless take further action. She also suggested that if the borough has to come in to clean up the property owner should be charged.

Kronyak explained in an interview Thursday that such a thing can be done if the situation is determined to be in violation of the borough’s property maintenance code in which case a summons would be issued and a court appearance required before the borough could approve a resolution imposing a lien on the property for the cost of clean up.

However Kronyak said this would be done as a last resort as it would mean dedicating the borough’s staff to maintain this private property and the borough would have to put up its own costs before it would be reimbursed.

As for the trees in questions, concerns grew following Hurricane Irene when one tree fell causing a transformer to blow taking out power to the area for three days. At recent council meetings, Bill Bergen and Shirley Giametti of Burr Place both said the trees on this property are in danger of falling, threatening their own properties. Bergen claimed some of the trees are five stories high.

However officials say removing trees is not that simple as many of the trees need to be there to secure the hill. Consideration has to be given to the fact that if there were no trees securing the hill a storm could cause a mudslide which could also be a potential threat to the properties across the way.