Tree limb falls in Birmingham days after CBS 42 investigation, causing more damage

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ( WIAT ) – In June, CBS 42 did an investigation into who owns trees that were causing damage to a Birmingham woman’s property .

Now, another large branch has now fallen and caused even more damage. It’s a problem that’s been growing over a decade.

Genora Amerson called CBS 42 Investigative Reporter Jen Cardone back within a week of the original investigation airing.

“I heard this crashing noise, and I said, ‘Oh lord, another branch probably fell,’” Amerson said pointing to the limb on her fence. “I came out here, and this is what this is right here. It fell out the tree.”

The original report aired June 27. The large branch fell July 3, damaging Amerson’s fence even more.

In our original report, CBS 42 explained how the trees sit between Amerson’s yard and her backyard neighbor’s properties in an “unimproved alley.”

“I thought I made myself clear the first time, but nobody came out,” Amerson said. “Nobody called me.”

A question about trees came up at a Birmingham City Council District 6 town hall after the limb fell.

At the meeting, Josh Yates, the city’s department of public works director, said the city will often prune trees and take out dead material so they can still live.

“If they’re in the right-of-way, if they’re diseased, if they’re dying, if there’s things about the tree, we need to address, we’ll certainly do everything we can to do that,” Yates said. “We want to save as many trees as we can, but we also want to make sure they’re trimmed up, so we don’t have fallen limbs in the streets.”

Amerson said she can’t even get that done.

“They need to come out and see what we talking about and do something because this is bad,” Amerson said.

CBS 42 has been working with Amerson to get help for a month now.

When CBS 42 asked for an update, the station got a response from a city official that stated, “The city is working to actively resolve this matter.”

When CBS 42 reached out for a follow up on what that means, we received no response.

There was a Birmingham City Council District 4 town hall last week , and another question about trees being behind a fence in a backyard was brought up.

“In a backyard, I imagine it’s an access on some sort of right-of-way — that tree is on some sort of right-of-way,” Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin responded. “With that address, let’s investigate that.”

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