City officials propose removing carob trees
The ficus trees in Downtown aren’t the only shady specimens causing a fuss.
Residents living north of Montana Avenue are questioning City Hall in its plans to remove and replace 300 carob trees citywide — approximately half of which are in the upscale neighborhood — and what they allege is a lack of public notice and input on a project that was expected to go before the City Council on Tuesday night for funding approval.
Several of these residents attended a press conference at the corner of Montana Avenue and 12th Street on Tuesday afternoon, a media briefing in which city officials intended to explain details of the project and point out specific trees that were slated for removal.
City Hall last fall hired HortScience to conduct a study of the 630 carob trees in Santa Monica. The report, released in March, found that of the 630 carob trees in Santa Monica, 300 are in decline and have significant risk failure, Warriner said.
The trees were rated on a 12-point ranking system that was based on their probability of failing, the size of the part of the tree most likely to fail and the objects on which it would fall. All of the trees that were ranked as eight or higher are slated for removal as well as 14 that were rated as seven but were listed in very poor condition.
Many residents that attended the press conference questioned the timing of the media briefing and asked why there wasn’t advance notice to the public about the project before it was scheduled to go to council for a funding request. The entire project, which includes removal, replacement and corrective pruning, is valued at $395,000.
City Hall has been criticized in the past year for its plans to remove ficus trees from Second and Fourth streets in the downtown area, part of a street beautification project, and has been caught up in litigation with the Santa Monica Treesavers.
Some north Santa Monica residents said they have lost faith in City Hall, a result of the ficus tree issue and the this recent issue regarding the carob trees.
“My feeling is from being involved with the city government and its reaction to the ficus trees and the answers we have gotten has made me lose trust,” Bob Wolff, a NOMA resident and Treesaver, said on Tuesday after the press conference. “I cannot believe the answers — at one point it’s about public safety, at another point it’s about the merchants.”
Warriner responded to the allegations by saying that when it comes to public safety, it isn’t a matter of public input. That piece would rather come in when it’s time to determine the replacement trees, Warriner added. Many of the trees are in imminent risk of failure, he said.
A community meeting in which residents can discuss various replacement trees is scheduled for May.
“A high risk tree is not acceptable to this city,” Warriner said.
Warriner added that just last Thursday, a limb from a carob tree fell on top of a car on 12th Street and an entire carob tree, also on 12th Street, uprooted and fell over. There were no reported injuries in either tree incidents.
The carob trees are considered to be susceptible to decay fungi and have a tendency to fail, according to Warriner. The trees are the sixth most common in the city. Many of the trees, while they might appear healthy on the inside, suffer from internal decay.
Warriner said the tree removal is about being proactive rather than reactive, a way to keep City Hall out of legal trouble. City Hall lost out on a million dollar claim a few years ago after a limb from a eucalyptus tree fell on top of a car. There have been several similar claims filed against City Hall.
The tree removal aspect of the project is estimated to cost $230,000 and the replacement trees are expected to cost about $115,000. The project includes a $50,000 contract for corrective pruning to 330 healthy Carob trees.
About 98 trees with the highest risk factor will be removed in the next 30 days, pending City Council approval. The second phase of the project, which includes the removal of 202 trees, will begin in the summer.
Shannon Daley, who has lived in the neighborhood for seven years, called the project a farce and said there hasn’t been enough documentation presented to the public that demonstrates the condition of the trees.
467,A member of the North of Montana Avenue Association, Daley said that tree canopy is a major concern of residents in the neighborhood.
“This will destroy the character of the neighborhood,” Daley said.
Brian Varnum, who also lives in the neighborhood, was one of the most vocal opponents to the project during the press briefing. He hinted toward a legal battle against City Hall if it proceeds with the project.
“We live here and we love our neighborhood,” he said.
Elaine Polachek, the director of the Community Maintenance Department, said that Santa Monica is not alone in experiencing problems with carob trees.
“There are inherent risks when you have internal decay,” Polachek said.
Warriner added that many of the cities do not even include the public in tree removal and replacement projects, pointing to the cities of Glendale and Bellflower.
Jump hedline: City Hall proposes removing Carob trees
Suggested pullquote: “My feeling is from being involved with the city government and its reaction to the ficus trees and the answers we have gotten has made me lose trust,”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 23, 2008. Read the original PDF.