UPDATE - I asked the City crew to take out the tree, they agreed. apparently they have a contractor working in the Shaganappi area this year, and will be taking out the dying willow.
With a new development permit application for my fourplex submitted, the city arrives to inventory any trees in the front. They put a price tag on tree damage or replacement of city owned trees. The site has two weeping willow trees, both really old. One is in good shape and valued over $8500. The other is 2/3 dead and valued over $550. I think the tree is worth negative $550 because someone is going to have to pay to deal with it.
Im going to ask the city to see if it can take down the tree. I suspect the city wants me to take it down and then bill me for it 'damaging' it. This makes no sense because I'm not allowed to operate on city property. This is the same city that observed some rutting in the alley and threatened to charge me $10000 to fix it and said I wasn't allowed to make repairs on city land. So I'm either allowed to operate on city land or I'm not. Either way the tree needs to go. We've got to get a new sewer connection into the project and it likely must pass through that location. I'm glad both trees were not valuable otherwise I'd be in a tough position, excavating a trench beside a mature tree would likely damage it beyond repair.
this is the dying willow.
still worth $565