News : Tree removal reveals property line confusion near VS football field

In 1988, Washington High School Track Coach John Frazier and the girls track team planted a row of spruce trees along the east property line of the high school campus, just east of the practice football field. At the time, there was a vacant lot on the other side of the row of trees, and the Vinton-Shellsburg merger was still under consideration. The trees were only one foot high when planted. Since then they have grown to a height of 30 feet or more. But the trees have a short life span of approximately 20 years. While they looked healthy from a distance, under the green canopy, many branches were dying. School officials decided to remove the trees. But in the past 22 years, a row of houses has arisen along First Avenue. And the trees were actually planted along the property line, with one row of trees on each side of the line. Some property owners, including Tom Schoonover, were quite surprised to return home recently and find out that the trees they believed were part of their property had been removed. Schoonover said the school district officials have told him the school will build an earthen berm along the property line to keep the home owners’ yards and basements from flooding. “I hope they put new trees there,” said Schoonover. The trees were already in the yard when Schoonover moved in to his house, he said. "I don’t think any of this area was developed when the trees were planted,” he said. Workers will continue removing the trees, and officials are continuing to discuss the area with the property owners.