Answered for New Palestine, Hancock County.
This is a split in the wood itself, not just the bark, running from the outside toward the center. For the tree it means the outer wood is now open to air and water, and it will respond by walling the injury off and growing over it. Most trees live with a frost crack indefinitely and a healthy one closes it and carries on. The lasting significance is that the crack is a permanent line of weakness and a doorway for decay, so a trunk with one is a trunk you monitor rather than a trunk you fix. In New Palestine — Willow Ridge, Centennial North and Noelting Estates included, that's normally a tree trimming job at $250–$1,400. Not urgent.
NOAA's storm database records repeated straight-line wind damage rather than tornadoes at New Palestine: May 28, 2017, 65 mph put trees and power lines down across roads in and near town; June 18, 2021 dropped trees across roads at New Palestine plus other nearby locations; June 12, 2021 snapped large limbs just off US 52; July 17, 2023 damaged trees and stripped shingles; May 16, 2019 downed power lines. The June 29, 2023 central Indiana derecho crossed the county with a measured 60 mph gust at 1 SW Greenfield. No tornado is recorded at New Palestine itself in the NWS Indianapolis Hancock County list, whose named locations are McCordsville, Eden, Fortville and Greenfield.
New Palestine appears in no published street-tree inventory. Because the bulk of the housing is post-1990 subdivision on former cropland, the dominant condition is young-to-middle-aged planted stock, with ash already removed statewide by emerald ash borer.
There is no tree removal permit in New Palestine — the code has no tree removal provision for private property, and Indiana has no statewide permit. What the town regulates is planting: Chapter 55 (Ord. 51888) is reported to make it unlawful to plant trees, shrubs or any plant life other than grass between the sidewalk and the curb anywhere in town, effective May 18, 1988, with § 56.02 permitting shade and ornamental trees on your own lot at least six feet back from the front property line. None of that could be verified from a retrievable primary source — treat the planting ban as UNVERIFIED and confirm with Town Hall before planting anything in the strip.
The strip between sidewalk and curb is public and the town dictates what goes in it. The town's reported grass-only rule for that strip could not be verified, so confirm with Town Hall before planting a replacement tree there; a homeowner who wants a replacement may in any case have to put it on the lot behind the front property line.
4621 S Brooklawn Dr, New Palestine, IN 46163
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Ric Vega · 5 years ago · Google
646 S 600 W Building #5, New Palestine, IN 46163
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5067 W US Hwy 40, Greenfield, IN 46140
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52 525W, Greenfield, IN 46140
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2067 Sunshine Dr, Greenfield, IN 46140
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11219 House St, Indianapolis, IN 46259
“These folks did a great job in coming to my rescue . We have One of the last remaining Ash trees in Forrest Common on the south side . It lost a…”
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Distance measured from New Palestine.