When given the choice of letting a healthy tree enhance the environs of its surrounding community or making for a better view of a billboard, well, what would you rather look at?

Clear Channel doesn’t much care what you’d prefer to look at, and on a central Cleveland thoroughfare once graced by the stately presence of a 30-year-old Linden tree, the media juggernaut isn’t giving you a choice. You’ll look at the billboard, thank you very much.

Local business owners along Cleveland’s West 25th Street, where the tree once stood, were outraged when crews came out last week and unceremoniously reduced the tree to a dead stump. One day you have a beautiful, 30-foot-tall Linden tree offering shade, oxygen and life to the community, and the next you’re left with a stump and a clearer view of an ugly, lifeless blight of a billboard. Excellent choice.

“I was shocked when I saw the tree,” said business owner Maria Keckan. “It was cut down, the head was lopped off, it was so upsetting. It could have been trimmed. The city didn’t notify us. It’s on our tree lawn.”

For their part, Clear Channel claims they sought and received all the proper permits to lop off the tree’s head and reduce it to stubble:

“As part of regular and necessary maintenance around our properties, Clear Channel Outdoor removed the tree at W. 25th and Franklin after receiving the necessary permit from city of Cleveland’s Department of Urban Forestry,” Clear Channel said in a statement issued by Vice President of Communications Jim Cullinan.

Cleveland councilman Brian Cummins is dubious nonetheless, expressing concern that Clear Channel didn’t go through all the proper, well, channels.

“In this case we do have a copy of the issued permit, but do not yet have any other documentation such as the permit application or correspondence,” said Cummins, adding that he intends to investigate whether the tree could have been trimmed instead of destroyed.

Neil McCormick, another local business owner, said that city ordinance only allows for cutting down trees that are sick or pose a hazard: “… to see a tree whacked because of business interests? If everybody did that, all the trees down West 25th would get cut down because they’re blocking the signs in front of establishments.”

Clear Channel has said they’ve planted five new trees in the Cleveland area to compensate the loss. You can bet none of them are near any of Clear Channel’s billboards.

Adding irony to injury: Cleveland’s nickname – Forest City

Main photo credit: zyfranklin/Stock.XCHNG