The sunny weather that followed the Patriot’s Day nor’easter might have made made local residents forget the torrential rain and violent wind that tore up southern Maine less than two weeks ago – if it weren’t for the tree debris littering most yards.

After initially hesitating to pickup tree debris at roadsides because of the potential cost, Scarborough, South Portland and Cape Elizabeth have now decided to have public works crews pickup downed trees and limbs.

In Scarborough, storm damage has been estimated at about $1.2 million – $125,000 of damage to 50 businesses, $275,000 to public property and $825,000 to 350 homes.

Scarborough originally planned only to waive fees for debris dropoff at the Holmes Road landfill. However, at an April 18 town council meeting, Councilors Richard Sullivan and Carol Rancourt both spoke up about the necessity of roadside pickup as well. The next day, the town announced that public works will pick up tree debris at the end of driveways on Monday, May 7.

“We have to do something,” said Town Manager Ron Owens. “It’s going to end up on the sides of the roads anyway.”

Owens said public works can’t be tied up with the residential pickup for too long. If there is too much debris, the town would hire contractors to help, but, he said, it’s hard to gauge what the cost will be – a reason the town hesitated to provide the service at first. However, Owens said, “we want to be able to provide choices.”

“There’s a need for it,” Sullivan said in an interview. “A lot of people don’t have the means and wouldn’t be able to get brush down there.” Sullivan was pleased to hear his request was granted and there would be a roadside pick-up. “We have great personnel in this town,” he said, “and here’s another example.”

In Cape Elizabeth, tree, limb and debris pickups were held on Monday and Thursday morning. Also, the town is waiving fees until May 13 for trees and limbs that are brought to the recycling center by both residents and contractors who are hauling material for Cape Elizabeth citizens.

The town was already in the midst of doing a cleanup after the snow storm on April 5 and has decided to provide the same service in response to the nor’easter.

“People are very appreciative of it,” said Public Works Director Bob Malley.

Malley said he wasn’t sure yet what the cost to the town would be to hire contracted trucks to help with the pickup, but he said it would cost around $15,000 just to grind up the brush that is collected. He said the current estimate for the total cost of damage to the town is in excess of $100,000, which he said is a very rough figure that does not account for private property damage and could easily change.

Regardless of the cost, Malley thinks the roadside pickup is a service the town needs to provide along with the recycling fee waiver. “Some people have no way of getting it there,” he said.

In South Portland, one of the hardest-hit communities, the city had at first said it would not provide house-to-house debris pickup. But officials changed their minds on Monday, and now the city will pick up tree debris for two weekends, starting Saturday.

“People should have it all out by 7 a.m.,” said Michele Sturgeon, administrative assistant with the public works department. Resdents should place debris in specific piles – brush, limbs and stumps, with the end of stumps facing the street.

At the transfer facility off Highland Avenue, fees will be waived for tree debris only, through May 6. The facility will also stay open the next two Fridays until 4 p.m. It will also open this Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., as well as the four Sundays in May.

Total damage estimate in the city is $3.9 million, with $2.9 million in public property damage and $1 milion in private property damage.

Rancourt, in Scarborough, was pleased to hear the town would be picking up debris from driveways, which, she said, would particularly benefit older people who don’t have the ability to transport the material or family nearby to help them.

“I’m amazed they’re doing it,” she said. “That’s wonderful.”

Storm damage, public and private

Cape Elizabeth: Public: $100,000; private: unreported. Total: $100,000

Scarborough: Public: $274,500; private: $950,000. Total: $1.2 million

South Portland: Public: $2.9 million; private: $1 million. Total: $3.9 million

Source: The Cumberland County Emergency Management Agency, as of April 23

Downed trees, here on Pleasant Hill Road in Scarborough, are typical of the damage from the Patriot’s Day storm. Public works departments in Scarborough, South Portland and Cape Elizabeth are making extra efforts to help residents with the tree debris cleanup.