The new look of Coweta County’s historic courthouse is underway. Visible now from the street is an unobstructed view of the courthouse, now in its rehabilitation phase, with the removal of the old water oak trees and one magnolia. The last of the 100 year-old oaks was removed Wednesday. A previous evaluation by four arborists determined that the oaks presented a health and safety concern and recommended their removal. The oaks will be replaced with trees 8-10 inches in diameter.

The arborists’ reports all contained concern about the large trees, said county Public Information Officer Patricia Palmer. There were places with decay, limited structural integrity and weak spots. According to the arborists’ reports, these trees will only continue to deteriorate and be a danger to citizens, vehicles and the courthouse, Palmer said. In addition, these trees are not in a healthy growing condition, due to their location. They have physical limitations and reduced growing areas, she said.

One of the oak trees had been removed earlier because it was an immediate safety concern after its condition was discovered, Palmer said. The rest of the largest oak trees were nearing the end of their natural life and were affecting the structural integrity of the sidewalk and the wall. But most importantly, several of them were dangerous to people and property, Palmer said.

Palmer said the new landscaping will more closely match that of the original early 1900s look of the courthouse grounds. That look will feature a lawn and trees as part of the adaptive re-use landscape plan surrounding the historic courthouse. The plan is to replace the oaks with other specimens that are more tolerant to the physical restrictions of the courthouse grounds and to the urban environment.

One of the standing magnolias was damaged when a large limb blew off one of the oaks. Three of the four magnolias will remain, but their growth has been affected by the oaks and it will take time and pruning to insure healthy growth, Palmer said.