$176,400 for oak’s ‘murder’

A tree was murdered in Brooklyn — and the city wants $176,400 from the landlord accused of the arborcide.

But Noam Amos claims he had nothing to do with the death of the pin oak in front of 299 S. Fourth St., insisting the city is leafing him no choice but to go to court.

If Amos won’t pay, the city wants him to plant 98 trees to replace the nearly century-old, 32-inch-wide oak, court papers show.

A city inspector found more than a dozen, 2-inchdeep holes drilled into the base of the oak in October, court papers say, noting that “the crown of the tree was 90 percent dead.”

The landlord “and/or someone acting on its behalf” damaged the tree, the city claimed in letters sent to Amos’ firm, 299 South 4th LLC, demanding reparations.

It’s illegal to damage or cut down a public tree. Violators face fines of up to $15,000 and/or a year in jail.

The city takes a tree’s size, life span and health into account when it estimates replacement costs, the Parks Department said, noting the offed oak was “an otherwise very healthy street tree.”

“Large, old trees like this one are the city’s most valuable,” said a Parks spokeswoman, who pegged the tree at 75 to 100 years old.

Amos is asking a Brooklyn Supreme Court judge to vacate the city’s demands. He argues that the Parks Department’s accusatory letter gave him no opportunity to defend himself and offered no evidence to back its allegations.