Politics & Government

Council Rejects Change to 'Root' Ordinance

The East Providence City Council votes 4-0 to squash a change to an ordinance that would eliminated the city's liability for a sewer line blockage.

An amended ordinance on tree “roots” in East Providence that the previous city council introduced died a quick death on Tuesday night, Dec. 18, in front of the new city council. 

The amended ordinance sought to strike the city’s responsibility for city-owned trees that cause blockages in sewer lines to homes.

The city still would have assumed responsibility for repairs of a broken or cracked sewer lateral between the curb line and the sewer main – just not for blockages.

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Several of the city councilors, including Chrissy Rossi and Tracy Capobianco, seemed aghast that the city would not take responsibility for any type of damage caused by a city-owned tree.

Rossi made the motion to kill the amended ordinance; Capobianco seconded the motion. The vote was 4-0 with City Councilor Helder Cunha absent from the meeting.

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