North Ridgeville residents upset with view after neighborhood trees are removed

NORTH RIDGEVILLE, Ohio - Dan Jaras of North Ridgeville loves the new home he built back in 2001, but believes his house has dropped more than $15,000 in value after a large row of willow trees were removed from his street three weeks ago.

The trees lined a 1,000 foot stretch of his street, and blocked the view of a trailer park directly across from his subdivision.

"This is terrible to look out my front window and see this," said Jaras. "I'm sure people living in the trailer park don't want to see my house either, and would like to have something to block us out too."

Jaras explained the developer of his neighborhood planted the trees for privacy, with permission from the owner of the trailer park. He told NewsChannel5 trailer park management simply trimmed the row of willows in the past, and he doesn't understand why they decided to cut down all of the 15 foot willows without warning.

Jaras and his neighbors contacted North Ridgeville City Hall and their council member in the search for answers.

"We got on the phones and started calling people, cause I drove down there and saw what it looked like," said Jaras. "We have neighbors here trying to sell their house now that the trees are down. Nobody wants to look at their house anymore."

Without the tree line, residents are now looking at the back of two dozen trailers, and have a view of propane tanks, storage areas, and electric meters.

Residents claim trailer park management had the trees removed because they were too costly to trim and maintain.

NewsChannel5 contacted North Ridgeville City Hall and ABC Management, the company that runs the trailer park. Both responded immediately.

North Ridgeville's Safety Director explained the city is now in talks with trailer park management, working on a solution that will improve privacy for everyone involved.

ABC management confirmed it is now in the process of collaborating with landscaping companies in response to neighborhood complaints. The company also told NewsChannel5 it wants to continue to be a "good neighbor," and hopes to have a fence and other decorative landscaping in place in early January 2013, weather permitting.

5 On Your Side will continue to follow-up on the progress of the proposed landscaping project.

Meanwhile, residents are hoping for a late Christmas gift.

"We should have been warned about this, and they should do something about it," said Jaras. "I appreciate the help of city hall and NewsChannel5, I just hope the management company lives up to its promises."