7/8/2014 - Thank you so much for sharing your very important concern with the City of Richmond government online. This situation has been formally reported to Richmond Tree Mgmt Team (20020947395) so that proper inspection, consideration and handling can take place accordingly.

Because of a longer amount of time that may be involved with this type request, updates or follow up can also be conducted by dialing the Richmond Customer Care Center at 804-646-7000.

We appreciate your communication that helps us in “Building The Best Richmond” together – rtt

The trees in question are fine. They are well cared for by the Bellevue Merchants association and specifically Chris Egghart. They are watered at least once per week and they all have gator bags or water rings around them and are NOT yellowed and dying!!!

I have to agree that the trees are not dying. One is a Crape Myrtle's are blooming. These pictures are taken today 7/8/14. Somebody has their information wrong. I am a business owner directly across from the trees and watch them being watered by the BMA Chris Egghart. Does this look that it is dying?

Here is the second picture of another tree right next to it taken 07-08-14. They get water once a week. We have checked into this matter and know for sure that this information is not true.

Chris E. is my neighbor - he waters the median trees in Bellevue at least once a week, if not more often in the hotter weather. I believe the trees in question were watered on the evening this was reported (7/7/14), as Chris was filling the portable water container in his truck that night. Please keep the beautiful trees planted on MacArthur, they were the result of hardwork on the part of the Civic/Merchants Association - Thanks!

These posts are all encouraging news. I'm glad to see they are being cared for. I posted the original issue because someone who is very active in Bellevue told me they were not being watered, and that one was dying. It's great to see that her fears were unfounded. Good work guys.

Taz - sorry you were apparently so offended by my well-meaning comment. But as for watering them myself - I don't have any means of getting 100 or so gallons or water over there every week. I do however care for the two Brook Road median plots in front of my house, so lets call it even!

That said, I do wish the City would do a better job of encouraging the home or business owners to water the new trees in front of their individual properties since the contractors that plant them appear not to be required to do so. Just look at the row of a dozen or so dead trees in front of the Seminary along Brook Road as an example. I can lift some of these right up out of the ground more than a year after they were planted.

Odin's Dad,

Yes, I was offended by your comment. The comment was unfounded and incorrect. I will get over it.
As our merchants group worked long and hard to get these tree's planted and make sure that they are well cared for. As for the person who told you that they were not being watered, they obviously were not very observant, all they had to do was touch one of the watering rings or the gator bag and know that they had water in them. Not hard to tell they have water in them.

I do defend that which we have worked so hard to accomplish. Yeah for the beauty of the trees!!!

That being said, the trees on MacArthur and a lot more in Bellevue are cared for by both Chris Egghart and the Beautify Bellevue Committee. In order to make the job easier the Merchants Assoc. and the Civic assoc. have even purchased a 275 gallon water tank to help with this issue. I have asked the residents of Bellevue to water any new or recently planted trees in our neighborhood and posted this request on the Yahoo group.

The city does ask the homeowners who request new trees to water them for a year, you are correct in that the contractors are not responsible for the care of the trees after planting them.

The city barely has the resources to maintain what they have , much less take care of watering newly planted trees, sorry to say but true. Been trying to get the potholes on Bellevue repaired for over 2 years now and they still haven't been done.

Hopefully some more of our neighbors will step up and help with taking care of the new trees throughout our neighborhood. We can only hope they will.

Thanks,
Mike

Closed by MT 9/10