Residents are planning to make their case at the Split Rock Township meeting March 31, 2015 at 8pm to hopefully save the tall canopy of trees along spook road.

The South Dakota Association of Towns and Townships in Huron is urging all state townships to implement a law back from 1939, mandating all trees in ditches and right of ways be removed at the owner’s expense.

Jenniffer Schmidtbauer lives on 264th Street, also known as Spook road, and was told the township could be sued."The answers we've gotten pertain to the fear of liability. If someone were to go off the road and hit a tree the township could potentially be liable."

Landowners along spook road hope to change the minds of the township board and cite the benefits of the trees."The erosion control that they provide, flood control in some of the low-lying areas of Spook Road." Schmidtbauer explains.

Our news-gathering partner KDLT News did reach out to the attorney for the Split Rock Township, who says these plans have been in motion for several years and were discussed at the township meeting on March 3rd, 2015.

Neighboring Brandon Township has recently drafted a letter to be sent to landowners requiring that trees be removed in their ditches and right of ways.  The president of Brandon township understands the landowner’s concerns, as he has about 30 mature trees that will need to be removed.

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