The council received a complaint about the trees being cut down on what was former Maheno domain board recreation reserve land.
Property manager Dougall McIntyre said council staff stopped the work, but after further investigations with the Maheno Rugby Club, which had approved the felling, it would recommence.
Rugby club president Malcolm Vince confirmed that yesterday.
He had not heard of any fuss about the trees, which were unsafe and hindering growth of a shelter belt planted along the rugby ground boundary.
"I was down there when they felled one and it split into three. It was rotten up the middle," he said.
In the mid-1990s, the club negotiated with the domain board to take over administration and management of the land, which included the rugby ground and a strip of empty land between it and the road.
Since then, the club had looked after the land.
"We were approached by a person who offered to fell the trees in return for the timber. We took it to a club meeting and it was approved," Mr Vince said.
"The next thing, the council was on to us," he said.
Mr Vince contacted residents and a former member of the domain board, confirming the club had been given responsibility for the land.
After further discussions between the club and council, approval was given for the felling to restart.
Mr McIntyre said there was some confusion over who was responsible for the recreational reserve.
However, after discussions with the club that was cleared up.
"The rugby club had employed the contractor and he was following through on its instructions," he said.
The future lease and management of the reserve would be discussed with the club.
