Landmark Rockledge Drive trees face severe cutbacks despite delay

For over a century, stately oak trees have lined Rockledge Drive, casting shade, creating an aesthetically pleasing view of the lagoon and making it a landmark in Brevard County for nearly its entire history.

Many of those trees are once again under threat of being cut back severely, with 64 old-growth live oaks being threatened with removal, to the consternation of homeowners who thought issue was settled two years ago.

The roadway has become a haven for runners, cyclists and anyone else who hopes to enjoy the scenic view of the Indian River Lagoon while also enjoying the curving road under the old-growth live oak trees that give the area its reputation and appeal.

But county officials say that some of the trees hamper access to emergency vehicles and need to be removed to make room to add a sewer line along the road.

Two years ago, residents on Rockledge Drive living in unincorporated Brevard County south of Rockledge city limits received letters in the mail advising them county staff would be trimming back those trees and potentially ruining the canopy and the entire appeal of the historic roadway.

Those residents pushed back against county officials, who agreed to pause plans for drastic trims.

But the county's plans to convert septic tanks to sewer lines on the road mean public works officials have notified residents again that cuts will be coming in October.

A petition asking the county to reconsider its plans has already received nearly 5,000 signatures online.

As of Friday, the county has pushed back plans until at least November, citing public pressure, but they could be delayed further.

"Based on community feedback and additional internal discussions, it has been decided that the planned tree-trimming work will be temporarily delayed. The work will not be performed until November at the earliest, and I will send you a courtesy notification at least two weeks prior to the work commencing," Brevard County public works director Marc Bernath wrote residents in a letter sent last week.

County officials have said the trees need to be dramatically cut back, with some removed entirely, to make room for emergency vehicles, garbage trucks and other public utilities. Residents say there has never been an issue and legal action may be necessary to stop the county from what it calls unnecessary pruning.

"There’s some legalities we’re working through. The trees can create an obstacle for high profile vehicles and there’s some roadwork we’re trying to do there, including septic-to-sewer conversions," county spokesman Don Walker said.

"We’ve had arborists out there and we’re looking to replace trees when and where we can, but some of the trees will need to be removed," he added. One of the residents leading the charge against the cutting is Michelle Maricic, who took it upon herself to head up the Rockledge Drive Tree Coalition, a group of Rockledge Drive homeowners and others who love the scenic road and want to stop any encroachment on the natural growth of the historic oaks.

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She, like many of her neighbors, bought her home because of the trees. The two-hundred-year-old oaks create shade, contribute to the ecosystem as well as protect against erosion and winds, she said. Two years ago, she believed the county had given up its effort to make drastic cuts to the canopy. Now, she and many of her neighbors feel slighted.

"I believed at the time that the case was closed and they wouldn’t be coming back to cut these trees. All we needed were these signs and the county installed signs advising against vehicles of certain heights," she said. "We were told by the Florida Department of Transportation, Waste Management and Brevard County Fire Rescue that the trees were not an impediment."

She pointed to a section of the Brevard County comprehensive plan that outlines the county's own stated dedication to preserving "heritage" trees by "supporting and enforcing" goals such as encouraging the protection of heritage trees, promoting the prevention of soil erosion and excess heat by maintaining trees, preserving the aesthetic value of those trees and more.

The city of Rockledge has also held a different policy on their trees along the same roadway. They have no plans for drastic cuts just across the border into the north. City officials such as Mayor Tom Price have said the trees are part of the city's history and they've learned how to work around them for over a century.

Others like Doug Simon also spoke emphatically on behalf of preserving the trees, calling on the county not to "overstep" its authority in cutting back the canopy and removing many trees altogether.

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Rockledge Drive is one of just a few scenic routes left in Florida with majestic oak trees and canopies that adorn the road, Maricic said.

“It’s Brevard heritage, it’s Brevard history. This road used to have horses and buggies. It is the legacy of our community," Maricic added.

"What gives me peace is the love that is shared through what we have here. This road is adorned with these gorgeous canopies. There’s a reason Florida designated it as a scenic drive. "All those who come here do so for serenity and love. I walk outside and I know these beautiful people are coming here because of these trees and the calm they provide."

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Rockledge Drive oak trees face removal by Brevard County