MEMPHIS, Tenn. — An East Memphis woman at her wits’ end, saying she’s afraid trees that aren’t on her property will fall on her home.
Lush, green trees surround Christine Meacham’s home near Sam Cooper Boulevard, but the big branches are a big concern.
“I have a lot of children that come up here. I’m afraid something is going to fall. It’s going to kill somebody. Or it’s going to fall on my property,” Meacham said.
The trees hang over her driveway, carport and garage.
“A lot of times I have guests that want to park over here. But since I’ve been dealing with these trees a lot of times, I’m like, ‘I hope that tree doesn’t fall on your vehicle or you,” she said.
Meacham believes some of the trees are dying and have hollowed trunks. She says, recently, a big branch fell on the other side of the fence.
Meacham says she’s already done what she can to clear brush from the easement and a drainage ditch, but the trees are a different story.
“If I could do something about it I would, but I’m at the mercy of the city.”
She decided to reach out to us after seeing a story about a tree that fell on a car during wet and windy weather. She fears the same thing could happen to her.
“Every time that happens in Memphis, and every time it storms, one of the first things I do is come out here and see if a tree has fallen.”
She says she’s notified the city about the issue several times.
“They took videos and pictures, and they said that they would have to have a bucket truck, which I understand this is a very difficult thing. I have a power line here.”
Meacham knows this will be a difficult project. She says she wants to keep some trees as protection from the busy Sam Cooper, but not all of them are safe.
“Just you guys coming out here today has given me a lot of hope, because I finally am getting someone to listen to me.”
A spokesperson for the city determined crews visited the property over a year ago and determined there wasn’t a threat to the property or the home.
A crew from the mayor’s office looked at the issue Thursday afternoon, and a crew from Public Works will come out on Friday.
Officials say if there are limbs extending over into the property line, then Meacham has the right to remove them and would be responsible for that expense.