Crews remove 23 palm trees in College Park

ORLANDO, Fla. – Almost two dozen palm trees are expected to be removed along Edgewater Drive in College Park after city officials said they are creating unsafe conditions.

The city of Orlando recently released a public notice letting the community know it was removing 23 palm trees and trimming 26 trees Saturday.

The sounds of chainsaws and tree chippers were heard up and down the street as contractors worked to cut down the trees.

Shannon Dellaporta said Saturday mornings are typically quiet and slow when she is coming into work at Gatorlillys, but not this weekend.

"I was very confused about why all of the road was blocked off and why there were cranes on the side of the road," Dellaporta said. 

City officials tell News 6 the palm trees grew too big over the past 15 years. The city said the trees are unsafe due to declining health or they have grown up into power lines. 

Crews worked their way down Edgewater Drive and cut down the trees in a matter of minutes, changing the landscape of the street. 

"It makes it beautiful. It will be missed for sure," Dellaporta said. 

The city said one reason it made the call to ax the trees is to prevent damage to power lines during a storm or hurricane.

[Related: 23 palm trees to come down in College Park]

Removing all of the trees was not easy. Crews shut down sidewalks and shifted traffic lanes, which caused some backups and frustrated drivers. Dellaporta adds the work could cause some problems for businesses.

"Parking along this road is limited, so this may cause some issues for businesses and walkability of the streets," she said. 

The city said it will pour concrete where the palm trees once stood. 

Some people said they're upset to see the trees go, but understand it is for the best. 

"I was a little sad that they're taking down the palm trees, but if it has to be taken down because of storm stuff that makes sense," Dellaporta said.