> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Street proposal hits a roadblock - URL: https://www.smdp.com/street-proposal-hits-a-roadblock/ - Published: 2008-03-14T15:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-24T18:52:46.000Z - Author: Melody Hanatani - Tags: Government & Politics, Pico, #archive-import *Considering Filing for Bankruptcy? Council lukewarm on beautification project* PICO NEIGHBORHOOD Two heavily traveled corridors long considered to be one of the more aesthetically displeasing streets in the city are about to get a makeover. City Hall is currently drafting design concepts to beautify both 20th Street and Cloverfield Boulevard between the I-10 Freeway and Pico Boulevard, planting new trees, improving pedestrian safety and enhancing street lighting. Ah'bé Landscape Architects, the project consultant hired by City Hall, presented the concept designs to the City Council on Tuesday, receiving a lukewarm reception by some councilmembers who said the estimated $6.7 million project has not changed enough since they last saw it in December. “I’m very underwhelmed,” Mayor Herb Katz said. “I don’t think you looked at 20th Street for what it really is.” Katz pointed out that 20th Street, which is partially residential and commercial, in particular serves as a route to Santa Monica College and the freeway. The preliminary concept design includes curb extensions on Cloverfield Boulevard, new street lamps, colored concrete paving bands, upgraded traffic signals and new street trees. The consultant is recommending a pink trumpet tree and Chinese fringe tree for Cloverfield Boulevard — both of which are deciduous — and a sweetshade tree and goldenrain tree for 20th Street — the former an evergreen and the latter a deciduous. Some of the councilmembers also seemed to take issue with using deciduous trees — trees that loses leaves seasonally — noting that it makes the streets look unattractive. Walt Warriner, the community forrester, said on Thursday that the trees were chosen based on their growth habit and whether it would be suitable for the size and environment of the two streets. “When you have limited growth spaces, your choices of specimen gets to be limited because you pick trees that will grow well in the area, that will grow well under the conditions that the street has to offer,” Warriner said.“Because there’s a lot of traffic and a lot of road soot and vehicle exhaust and dust, it’s a harsh environment so you start evaluating trees based on what types of trees will grow under those conditions.” Councilmember Bob Holbrook spoke in favor of deciduous trees, pointing out that he has one growing in his yard. “In the winter, it looks like winter and this time of year, they’re all blossoming,” Holbrook said. Councilmember Bobby Shriver asked whether it would be possible to plant the trees at a more mature state. Evan Mather, an associate with Ah'bé Landscape Architects, said it would take about seven years for the trees to grow to the mature size as displayed in the concept drawings. “If the only issue was to excavate a bigger hole, people... might be willing to pay it if they got the after-picture shown,” Shriver said. Craig Perkins, the outgoing director of environmental and public works, noted that most experts say that planting a bigger tree requires digging a larger hole and that might not be the healthiest option for the trees. “You’re excavating more to fit a much larger root bal l... into that existing space,” Perkins said. “A lot of times, that is the least healthy way to establish a tree and have it mature the way you want it to mature.” Susan Hartley, a Sunset Park resident and member of the Santa Monica Treesavers, which is currently challenging City Hall over its plans to remove 54 ficus trees from the downtown area, asked that none of the existing street trees on 20th and Cloverfield be removed. “You really need to be maintaining our canopy as well as increasing it,” Hartley said. “These are heavily trafficked streets and there’s a lot of carbon output from the cars on those streets.” “The trees suck up that carbon,”she added. The current concept design also sees a net loss of 19 parking spaces on Cloverfield, a proposal that has received negative reaction from area residents. Mather said he is attempting to resolve the parking issue with residents. Some councilmembers also said they wanted to see medians installed on Cloverfield, which they believe would not only beautify the boulevard, but also make it more accessible for pedestrians. Councilmember Ken Genser used the Wilshire Boulevard enhancement project as an example, saying the median broke up the heavily-traveled street. The medians were not incorporated into the plan because neither Cloverfield nor 20th are wide enough to accommodate both curb extensions and a median, the consultant said. A portion of Cloverfield also falls under the Caltrans right-of-way, requiring a permit if a median is installed. The consultant is also considering several bike lane options for 20th Street, looking at whether to eliminate parking along the street and replace it with a bike lane or to maintain the parking but replace a travel lane with a bike lane. One of the issues of adding a bike lane to the two streets is the limited space. Zina Josephs, a Sunset Park resident, said she wasn’t sure whether bike lanes could be added safely because of the traffic. “The traffic lanes seem to be always full, and the sidewalks are narrow from Pico to Santa Monica Boulevard, especially on the bridge of the 10 freeway,” Josephs said. “I don’t know where the bike lanes could be safely located.” *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 14, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/031408.pdf?ref=smdp.com)