VILLAGE OF LIVERPOOL – The village of Liverpool owns and maintains some 1,800 trees here. Over the past several years, however, at least three village residents have chopped down some of those trees because they mistakenly believed the trees were on their personal property. As a result those homeowners faced fines and some made efforts to replace the downed timber. For residents who live on streets that have sidewalks, village trees can easily be identified as those growing between the sidewalk and the road, with some exceptions. On streets where no sidewalks exist, it’s more difficult to identify where the village property-line lay. “That happened earlier this year over on Iroquios Lane,” reported Village Codes Officer Bill Reagan. “Not realizing that they were village-owned trees, the resident removed two full-size honeylocust trees as part of a major landscaping project on his front lawn.” The homeowner was fined $1,500, but he appealed to the village board of trustees which agreed to his compromise: in lieu of paying the fine, he would plant five new trees there, three tulip poplars and two maples. Last year, Reagan recalled, he’d fined a Birch Street resident $2,500 after three village trees had been taken down. That fine was reduced by $1,500 after the homeowner promised to plant three new trees there. A similar situation arose recently on Sargent Lane, which has no sidewalks. Reagan maintains a visually impressive computer database which lists and depicts the exact locations of the village’s 1,800 trees. “If anyone has concerns about trees in their front yard, before you decide to do anything please talk to the village first,” Reagan advised. Residents can contact the village clerk’s office at 315-457-3441.