NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) -- New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman on Wednesday announced a court-ordered settlement with a Yonkers-based arborist who allegedly entered a state park and removed the tops of trees.
Robert Potanovic, the owner of Potanovic & Sons Professional Tree Care, allegedly allowed his company to enter the Old Croton Aqueduct State Historic Park Trail after being hired by three Yonkers homeowners to vista prune the trees blocking their views of the Hudson River and the Palisades.
Potanovic's company allegedly entered the park illegally and removed the top portions of 34 trees within the park.
"State parks and historic sites belong to the people of New York, and all New Yorkers suffer the loss when these resources are harmed," Schneiderman said.
"At the behest of homeowners looking to improve their view, this tree service trespassed onto the Old Croton Aqueduct State Historic Park, and killed or injured dozens of trees."
Under the terms of the settlement, Potanovic must pay sanctions valued at $64,000, including tree removal and other remedial work in the park trail. The members of the company also must sign a letter of apology to the public for the alleged destruction of the trees.
The landowners who hired Potanovic & Sons reached a separate settlement with Potanovic to collectively pay a $24,000 portion of his settlement with the state.