TREES IN CITY STREETS

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21972, 22 December 1936, Page 6

TREES IN CITY STREETS

RELATION TO LIGHTING POLICY TO BE FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL The planting of trees in city streets is to be carried out in future according to a policy adopted last night by the Christchurch City Council. For some time there have been complaints that trees in some of the city streets have adversely affected lighting and other services, and the problem has been investigated by the City Engineer (Mr A. R. Galbraith) on behalf of the Public Utilities Committee. Mr Galbraith's findings were presented to the council last night in a report by the reserves committee, and his suggestions were adopted. Mr Galbraith recommended that, apart from seasonal considerations, no tree-planting application be entertained until at least four-fifths of the building sections between blocks have had residences erected thereon. He also suggested that before trees were planted, a joint inspection should be made of the sites of each application by representatives of the City Engineer's Department, the Reserves Department, the Municipal Electricity Department, the Post and Telegraph Department, and the Public Utilities Committee.

He also suggested that a low-grow-ing type of tree be planted, and that the planting and pruning of trees be done by the Reserves Department under the supervision of the Superintendent of Parks and Reserves (Mr M. J. Barnett). Trees should be spaced as may be most expedient between 40 and 50 feet apart, and should be kept at least 30 feet from street intersections and as far as practicable located longitudinally so as to avoid obscuring the street lamps. Planting, he considered, should not be done in carriageways because of the danger to vehicular traffic, especially at night. It was recommended that the minimum width of footway for tree planting should be not less than 15 feet and preferably 17 feet or 18 feet for a through-traffic street, unless it was found otherwise desirable. Referring to the relation of trees and poles, Mr Galbraith recommended that in general the asphalt strip be next to the fence line, the poles at the kerb, and the trees at the inner edge of the grass strip, with a 12-inch margin provided between the asphalt strip and the section line. In conclusion, Mr Galbraith recommended that trees be kept as far from gas mains as possible, and that 50 feet residential streets for through traffic be considered unsuitable for tree planting with advantage.