Diseased poplars are being replaced along Medina street

A long line of signature, 75-year-old trees in Medina is being removed because of disease.

The city began to take out the tall, skinny poplars this month, and several gaps can already be seen in the colonnade along 84th Avenue Northeast.

The street is the primary entryway off Highway 520 to Medina and Clyde Hill, and the trees were landmarks for residents, said Mark Weinberg, Medina city manager.

"It's really a shame," he said.

The 116 trees, including a handful on Northeast 24th Street, will be replaced by 39 Bowhall maple trees. The maples will be around 20 feet tall at first but will grow to about 50 feet, with foliage larger than the poplars, spreading about 25 feet.

The city has discussed replacing or trimming the poplars for several years, since some branches fell off and the trees were in poor health. Arborists confirmed that the trees have canker disease and should be removed.

The City Council approved the tree-removal contract last month on a 4-3 vote. Deputy Mayor Robert Rudolph, Councilwoman Katie Phelps and Councilmen Pete Vall-Spinosa and Jim Lawrence voted yes. Mayor Miles Adam and Councilmen Lucius Biglow and Drew Blazey voted no.

Heija Nunn, a member of the city parks board, said the young maples are a "pale replacement" and that more lush, attractive trees should have been chosen.

The trees run along the edge of the Overlake Golf & Country Club.

The removal and replacement will cost $244,000, with the club pitching in $80,000 of that amount, Weinberg said.

The city will remove 65 poplars this month and replace them with 22 maples. To ease the transition, the remaining trees will be removed and replaced at some point over the next three years.

Ashley Bach: 206-464-2567 or abach@seattletimes.com