C.R. development should build around trees

As I sit looking out my window this day, noise of heavy machinery is giving me a headache, the smell of diesel fuel assails my sense of smell, and the tears are flowing. The tears are not because the beautiful field I view will soon be replaced by a sea of tightly knit homes, but for the unwarranted destruction of the majestic hickory and oak trees that have existed for nearly a century.

How can the benefits these trees have given to our Earth so easily be tossed aside for the sake of impending tax dollars to the city and profits for developers? Certainly other trees can be planted, but equivalent benefits will not be seen in our lifetime. It is time for our city to step up and take responsibility for protecting our environment by demanding that developments be designed around existing flora.

It's unlikely our city council and development department will listen to citizen concerns, and they likely will continue to approve every development like the one on Zika Avenue NW and the albatross built at 13th Street and O Avenue NW.

Linda Prachar

Cedar Rapids