Patti Dozier/Times-EnterpriseMike Zolt said the drastically pruned trees behind him had become a liability at his Chick-fil-A restaurant, but they might have been “overcut.”

THOMASVILLE — Drastically pruned live oak trees on a U.S. 19 right of way will recover in several months, according to the principle owner of the adjoining shopping complex.

The trees — in front of Chick-fil-A — were pruned for safety and liability reasons, said Tim O’Neill, president of Vanguard Associates, an Atlanta management company, and principle owner of the shopping complex.

“I can assure you the trees will look good again,” O’Neill said.

He said the Sunday trimming is not the first time the trees were pruned, and he knows they do not look good.

The trees — planted in the 1980s — were pruned 10 years ago. 

“We got angry phone calls about it,” O’Neill said.

In regard to the Sunday pruning, O’Neill said heavy branches hanging over shopping center property could have fallen on a child or a vehicle.

“I think they overcut them, but I do believe they’ll come back,” said Chick-fil-A owner Mike Zolt.

Zolt agrees the trees had become a liability.

“The limbs were scratching cars. They scratched my car. They were way up into the power lines,” Zolt said, pointing to three tiers of power lines above the trees.

O’Neill said it will take time, but the trees will start “greening up” in a few months.

A man and woman parking near the trees Thursday morning were not so sure, wondering aloud if the live oaks will survive.

“We know it doesn’t look good. You can’t trim a little bit on these trees,” O’Neill said.