This past week, Q-line asked: “Do you support the plan to replace the ficus trees along Fourth Street?” Here are your responses: “It is important to understand the beautiful trees, shrubbery, lawns and hedges that lend a natural form of beauty to the city of Santa Monica also provide oxygen producing photosynthesis to the city that inhibits the flow of carbon monoxide from automobiles onto our property. All choice of trees and plantings should take this natural phenomena into consideration.” “If the ficus trees are causing a problems on the sidewalks then they should be removed. If it’s just a matter of taste, some people say ‘oh it’s just too thick,’ then they should just suck it in and leave the trees there. It’s not the tree’s fault if they are too thick. The only the problem is if they are damaging the sidewalks. It’s costs too much money to take out trees, especially the big ones and it takes too much money digging up the roots and all of that. It’s too much money that can be wasted on other things instead of the trees.” “The city officials’ response is bogus. This is just a plan to bring up the area around the Third Street Promenade. This is a total waste of money. Money can be spent on cameras to crack down on taggers and graffiti, or sting operations on liquor stores who contribute to public drunkenness, or send gang bangers to military boot camp where they can do something constructive with their time. The city of Santa Monica should improve the conditions here before they improve the look of it.” “Never mind the ficus trees. The citizens of this once beautiful city would be better served if the administration would start uprooting the horrible spread of the fungus of vagrancy. Leave the trees alone and get rid of the filthy, dangerous bums, transients and criminals hiding under the canopy of homelessness.” “Absolutely, yes. The city should start at Fourth Street and work its way east, cutting down every Ficus tree in its path. They are just oversized weeds and cause damage to our streets, sewer system and sidewalks of which the city expects residents to pay half of the repair costs. The city arborists refuse to trim them properly and they should have never been planted in the first place back in the ’70s. Cut them down and replace them with something reasonable that doesn’t require maintenance like they do now.” “In this age of rising numbers of skin cancer we need the shade these trees provide from the dangerous, lethal rays of the sun.We also need the oxygen they provide to deal with the depreciating quality of our air.” “I think it’s a tragedy for Santa Monica to cut down trees. The trees have been here longer than the businesses. They purify the air and make Santa Monica a prettier place to live. I strongly oppose the city cutting trees down on Fourth Street.” “I don’t think it’s necessary. I do not feel that it is positively necessary to remove the ficus trees. No. 1, they are beautiful trees. No. 2, there is a way to limit the root system and deal with it. I do think that City Hall wants the easy way out.I have had several people come from out of state... and say what a lovely boulevard it is... it adds a lot to the city. They are traditional. I see no reason. It’s cheap way out as usual for City Hall. I feel it would dehumanize the entire area. It’s lovely walking there and it would be sorely missed...” “I think it’s a horrible idea. I think it should be covered in your paper and I think it should be covered with some front-page worthy item. I think it’s ridiculous...” “I am just stunned that the Santa Monica City Council would even consider such an Orange County, new and shinny type look. In Santa Monica, one of the things we treasure is the character of the community we live in. It is older and it is not all clean and shinny and cookie cutterish. It’s a beautiful community and I really hope they will rethink their decision on the trees and allow the character of Santa Monica to shine.” “I support the plan to remove the ficus trees. Hopefully, the city can extend it to my street, Franklin, where those trees have roots that have caused the sidewalk to buckle, making it difficult for strollers, walkers and wheelchairs to pass. Twice, in the past 20 years, the city has fixed the sidewalks and cut the roots but the damage continues to reoccur... Not only do they block the sidewalk, they also block the streetlights that the property owners on my street were assessed to pay for. Also, the amount of the leaves the street sweepers must get from what these trees shed is tremendous. These trees are not meant for city boulevards. They should be replaced for more suitable ones.” “They probably should be replaced because most ficus grow too fast and have too big of roots. They damage the sidewalks and they grow so large that they obscure the buildings nearby and cost a fortune to prune...” “No. Take out all of the trees. They cause too many problems to the streets, to the sidewalks, to the curbs. They are all ruined because of these trees. If the man wants to chain himself to the tree, take him with the tree. That’s weird.” “I think it is really terrible for them to destroy the trees when they are so old and are such a part of that area.” “Please keep all of the trees exactly where they are in Santa Monica. We need them.We love them.We grew up with them. They are ours. Make a new design. Spend more money the way you need to with a new design and include the trees. Be good guys and leave us the trees, please.” “Isn’t there a way for the streets lights down on Fourth to be there and not cut down the trees? Isn’t there some way to do that? It’s not like there are a lot of extra trees around.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 25, 2006. Read the original PDF.