GONZALES – At the stump of the old “Piccadilly Tree,” onlookers will notice two signs – one “RIP” and a photo of the Lorax, both put up by disgruntled community members.

The historic tree, estimated to be up to 200 years old, was cut down last Thursday to make way for a new Chick-fil-A restaurant in the former Piccadilly Cafeteria. The tree, which stands at the corner of East Ascension Street and Airline Highway, was considered a landmark by area residents.

Interim Mayor Ryland Percy said the city is currently considering an ordinance to protect future historic trees from an unfortunate demise as the city continues to rapidly develop.

“We called the Louisiana Municipal Association and asked them to check with other cities to see if there are any ordinances we can pass to prevent this from happening in the future,” Percy said.

To curb deforestation in the region, the local government has made efforts to plant more trees since 2020, according to Mayor Percy.

“We have planted over 2,000 trees in the city of Gonzales in the last three years, so this is one of our main concerns,” Percy said.

While the city cannot dictate what citizens do on private property, it believes trees with historical value deserve some legal protection. Until a solution is found, Percy said the city will continue to beautify the environment through its efforts.

“We apply for every grant we can get to help beautify the city. Tax dollars are also used for this, but it’s all in the budget and important to the people here,” said Percy.

The Gonzales City Council held a meeting Monday afternoon, but there was no discussion of a tree protection ordinance.