Public Meeting Set to Discuss U.S. 41 Tree Removal

The trees on U.S. 41 in Lutz have been saved. For now, at least.

According to Steve McGlocklin, assistant to commissioner Ken Hagan, the county won't take any action until officials can meet with residents.

"Everything is on hold until there can be a community meeting to discuss it," McGlocklin said in a voicemail Tuesday afternoon.

That meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 24 at the Lutz Community Center, 98 1st Avenue NW, according to the Hillsborough County website.

News about the proposed median project broke late last week. Reports indicated that many of the trees planted along a seven-mile stretch of U.S. 41 medians would be removed.

When residents heard about the reported plans, there was an outcry.

“Removing 'OUR' Trees from Hwy. 41 is just another example of how our Government has assumed they own our County,” wrote Rod “Hot Rod” Gaudin, owner of Hot Rod’s County BBQ on the Lutz Patch Facebook page. “Our Government owns nothing! Everything they have, control, buy, sell or work is owned by the people.”

The commissioner's office contacted those who reached out to them regarding the slated removal, McGlocklin said Tuesday, letting them know that there was information circulating about the removal wasn't quite right.

A protest was planned at the Apex on U.S. 41, but it was called off after the clarification from the county.

The meeting will allow residents to hear the county's plans and voice their concerns, as well share their ideas for maintaining the landscaping.

"We're basically going to talk about where we are with this project, discuss alternatives we have and seek alternatives from the community," Willie Puz, a county spokesman, told TBO.com.

See also:

Protest Over U.S. 41 Trees Called Off