Mar 6, 2007 8:53 am US/Mountain
Silverthorne Requires Homeowners To Remove Trees
by Andrea Lopez
SILVERTHORNE, Colo. (CBS4) ―
Silverthorne is cracking down on residents, requiring them to remove dead trees and pine beetle infested trees within 10 days of receiving notice.
Town officials said the new rules are in place to help prevent the spread of the pine beetle. They hope to reduce the number of infected trees to try and stop the beetle before it flies out to another tree.
Some people are worried that 10 days isn't enough time to respond and get the work done.
"I'm not a full-time resident," said Neil Boyd, one homeowner. "By the time correspondence gets to Iowa and we get back again, that 10 days is pretty much elapsed."
Silverthorne officials said they plan to educate homeowners in every way possible before it starts enforcing the law.
The town said in the worst case scenarios, homeowners who don't comply will have the infected trees removed for them by the town.
The town could then charge homeowners twice the rate of removal.
Silverthorne recently passed a similar rule for noxious weeds.
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