Owners of The Manor in West Orange, N.J. cut hundreds of trees illegally, town officials say
WEST ORANGE, N.J. -- The owners of The Manor in New Jersey could be facing hefty fines for cutting down hundreds of trees.
West Orange town officials said nearly 250 trees were illegally cut down on the historic property.
"They essentially took these trees down without following any of the protocol in town," said West Orange Council President Bill Rutherford.
West Orange passed tree removal ordinance recently
Joyce Rudin, a board member for the environmental nonprofit Our Green West Orange, said she noticed the downed trees while driving past to site on Prospect Avenue last week.
"I was horrified to see the damage on this property," said Rudin. "The Manor is a beloved site not just in West Orange, but in all of New Jersey."
The town council recently passed an ordinance regulating tree removal and replacement. Residents and developers are required to get a permit from the township forester for every tree cut down.
According to Rudin, the new owners of the popular venue did not get the permits for tree removal.
"What we're most concerned about is the impact that this wanton destruction has on the neighborhood," Rudin said.
The Manor was purchased last month with plans to rename it The Grand Chateau.
Elevated flood concerns after tree removal
Neighbors behind The Manor said they consistently deal with flooding and were alarmed when they found out so many trees were removed.
"You see we're on a steep slope here. So everyone down slope from here is going to face additional challenges with regard to water," said Rutherford.
"We already flood our basement. We have a sump pump, we actually had two at one point," said Ricki Fromkie, who lives near The Manor. "The water just comes right up from the ground."
According to Rutherford, the activity resulted in nearly 500 summonses, 246 each to the new owners and Elmwood Tree Service -- the company that performed the tree removal.
The lawyer for The Manor's owners said, "My clients plan to replace the trees to the satisfaction of the town and to the benefit of neighbors, residents and customers."