Elm trees have become a bit of a problem on Elm and Linden streets in downtown Cortez.
Bob Patel, manager of the Sand Canyon National 9 Inn, said a root from one of the five massive elms on Linden Street damaged a water line at his hotel and led him to remove the inn’s swimming pool in July. They’ve damaged public infrastructure as well. Mayor Karen Sheek said the trees have harmed city sewer lines, concrete and asphalt.
To prevent any further damage, Cortez will soon remove and replace a total of eight elms — five next to the Canyon Sand Inn and three on the corner of S. Elm and West First streets, next to the Rogers and Co. accounting firm.
“When you have trees that start damaging property, then you have to do something,” Sheek said.
Cortez Parks and Recreation Director Dean Palmquist said the elms are simply too big for their respective tree vaults. The city will replace the elms with medium-size trees, possibly of the buckeye, redbud or mountain ash variety, Palmquist said. The city parks superintendent and a local arborist will make the final decision on the type of tree, he said.
“Rest assured it’s going to be trees that are appropriately sized for that tree vault,” Palmquist said.
He said trees are a big contributor to the city both aesthetically and environmentally. It’s a tragedy to remove such large, mature trees, he said, but unfortunately they are damaging infrastructure and have to go.
“We’re all very concerned wanting to get replacement of trees in as soon as they’re taken out,” he added.
Sheek said the tree replacement project will get started once the Main Street medians are complete. She said Cortez did not give residents enough warning the last time it removed trees, which upset some, so she is trying to give plenty of warning this time.
sdolan@the-journal.com