The city is at it again, between the tree trimmers making work for themselves and the city's fear of trees as a public safety menace they have scheduled the following executions, I mean "maintenance":
The trees to be removed are located in the 1100 block (1), 1300 block
(2), 1400 block (6). The specific locations and types of trees are
below.
1100 Hwy 101 /N Median tree #6 Monterey Cypress .
1300 Hwy 101 /N Median tree #1 Red Iron Bark Euc.
1300 Hwy 101 /N Median tree #6 Red Iron Bark Euc.
1400 Hwy 101 /N Median tree #4 Blue Gum Euc.
1400 Hwy 101 /N Median tree #6 Blue Gum Euc.
1400 Hwy 101 /N Median tree #13 Blue Gum Euc.
1400 Hwy 101 /N Median tree #14 Blue Gum Euc.
1400 Hwy 101 /N Median tree #16 Blue Gum Euc.
1400 Hwy 101 /N Median tree #17 Sugar Gum Euc.
The trees will be clearly marked with a sign on them that state they will be removed and include a phone number for inquiries. The signs will be placed two weeks in advance. There are a few older/larger trees to be removed. This is unfortunate but older they get the more problems are encountered. The trees that show evidence of disease have visible "conks" on them. The conks identify a disease but there are so many different types of diseases it makes it difficult to classify. We did get two professional arborist opinions and their conclusions were different in some cases. We are only removing those where both professionals agreed they needed to be removed.
Thank you.
Mark Hosford
Street Division Superintendent
City of Encinitas
505 S. Vulcan Ave.
Encinitas, CA. 92024
760-633-2873
mhosford@cityofencinitas.org
Press Release:
STREET TREE MAINTENANCE
Begins the Week of January 19, 2008
North Coast Highway 101
From Leucadia Blvd to La Costa Ave
The City trees in the North Coast Highway 101 corridor were inspected by certified arborists. The inspection revealed a need to prune approximately 278 trees in the center median and on the west side of the street.
In addition to the pruning, the inspection also revealed 9 trees that need to be removed. Unfortunately, these trees pose a rick to the public and we are unable to save them. In conjunction with the N. Coast Hwy 101 Streetscape project the City will plant new trees to replace the ones removed.
The contractor, West Coast Arborist, will provide notices to affected businesses and residences to inform them of the pending work. They will also place “No Parking” signs 72 hours in advance of the work at specific locations.
The trees to be removed will be clearly marked and a sign posted on them to inform the public of the pending removals. The work is expected to take two weeks to complete.
We apologize for any inconvenience and ask for your patience while we complete this maintenance. If you have any questions concerning this work please contact the following:
West Coast Arborist, Inc.
(800) 521-3714
City of Encinitas, Public Works
(760) 633-2850
Just moved to the area a few months ago, glad to discover your blog!
ReplyDeleteA visual of the tree slashing can be found at Balour and Encinitas Blvd. The hillside on both streets were covered with eucalytus trees. The city departments use a stealth procedure. Periodically, several trees are cut down and the stumps are ground out immediately. The hillsides are almost barren.
ReplyDeleteare these the same arborists that cut down the "wrong" tree at roadside park?
ReplyDelete1300 Hwy 101 /N Median tree #1 Red Iron Bark Euc.
ReplyDelete1300 Hwy 101 /N Median tree #6 Red Iron Bark Euc.
Both of these Eucalyptus are healty and were planted BY THE CITY just a few years ago. (I hate to guess how old the other numerous Eucalyptus trees are that they are removing). Obviously it's some renegade at the city level to eradicate all Eukes here. That goes for the Oleanders too. I thought we just agreed that 92% of our canopy trees would be spared for the Streetscape. Is that AFTER they remove these or what? I hate to be pissed on and told it's raining.
It's raining.
ReplyDeleteWhy is it hot?
ReplyDeleteThe city is attempting to reduce its liability anyway it can. At the latest closed door session on Thursday, the city revealed that it faces "significant exposure" from four lawsuits: the Hwang case from the death at the Santa Fe Avenue undercrossing, the Shafer, et al case (not sure about this one), and a third case only described as a "bicycle accident."
ReplyDeleteThe fourth is the Citizens for Quality of Life lawsuit, which could cost the city a lot of money they don't have now because of the deepening economic crisis. This week the city pulled $25,000 out of the Hall property park fund to pay a lobbyist to help with the Coastal Commission appeal filed by the same group.
To defend the CQL lawsuit the city will be hiring the L.A. CEQA attorney used in the appeal of the Planning Commission denial of the project. More money will be taken from the Hall fund.
How much more money will be sucked out of the Hall fund to cover other shortfalls in the budget next year? The city could not have picked a worse time to proceed with its grandiose plans for the regional sports park.
Wait until the next death at the Leucadia railroad deathtrap, that one will property take any remaining about saved or borrowed for the hall sports complex.
ReplyDeleteAll these attorneys, lobbyists and consultants make tons of dough from city coffers. With the amount of money being thrown around, I wonder if there are any kickbacks going to city staffers. Power corrupts with so little oversight. How come the local rags don't do some investigating. What a shame that so many trees have to go.
ReplyDeleteThe local papers don't care. They don't want to lose their cozy position at City Hall. Even Bill Arbillo has to be careful since Teresa Barth is his daughter. I don't think he mentioned in this weeks Coast News that Teresa abstained in the 3-1-1- vote for the City to spend $25,000 to fight their own Planing Commissioners decision on the Hall Property. These are the same Commissioners who will be getting paid $75.00 per person per meeting next year. What's up with that?
ReplyDeleteNot to be insensitive, but the truth is that the Hwang incident would have happened anywhere where someone was driving as wrecklessly as the man was who hit the student in the underpass - no matter if there was a curb or not. Since 1965, I and millions of others have walked and biked the same route without a scratch, but we were all lucky enough to not be there when a driver lost control goofing off. (And as for me, it was also to go to and from school).
ReplyDeleteFew things are worse than losing a family member, but the lawsuit against the city on this one is misdirected. The installed K-rail at this location is like the city admitting guilt in my opinion. Now if the city were responsible for careless drivers, then there would be a case.
I don't know about millions of people having walked under the I-5 crossing, but certainly tens of thousands. I've done it on occasion.
ReplyDeleteI don't agree that the city is blameless. This was a known liability. Residents had spoken about the problem with the city. Recently a friend of mine has been interviewed twice by a private investigator because he warned the city about the danger.
I think the city will probably get nailed on this one, even if it negotiates a settlement. Juries tend to be very generous in a trial.
It is silly to put all the blame on the driver. Protective barriers are erected all the time. The city has this responsibility. The whole justification for the tree trimming and removal is to reduce the chance that the unlucky soul who is crushed to death under a falling tree is not you or me.
I would sooner take my chances on 101 with the existing canopy than walking under I-5 without a barrier. Take a look at what is happening at I-5 and Lomas Santa Fe in Solana Beach.
Agreed. The same type of walkway should be built at the leucadia railroad crossing. that is one dangerous walkway.
ReplyDelete"It is silly to put all the blame on the (wreckless) driver."
ReplyDeleteAre you out of your freakin' mind?
"Protective barriers are erected all the time. The city has this responsibility. The whole justification for the tree trimming and removal is to reduce the chance that the unlucky soul who is crushed to death under a falling tree is not you or me."
Then the city better get busy with the OTHER side of that underpass, and the identically designed underpass on Encinitas Blvd, and ALL of the pictures JP just posted on the Hwy in Leucadia that don't have a sidewalk yet. At some point drivers have to take responsiblity when they deliberately drive poorly, especially when it threatens or takes lives. You can't blame the city for that.
No, I am not out of my freakin' mind. You are comparing apples and oranges. The underpass on Santa Fe is walked by hundreds of kids from the Academy at lunch time. There is no comparable portion of 101 that has even close to the same number of pedestrians.
ReplyDeletePlus the four lanes are very constricted because the bridge pillars are right at the edge of pavement. The walkway was very narrow with no place to step out of the way in case of danger. This is hardly comparable to 101 where a wider shoulder is like the rest of Santa Fe.
Now with the barrier the roadway was repainted for three lanes. A sign can direct pedestrian to only walk on the side with the barrier.
Parents warned the city specifically about the underpass. The city did nothing until too late. You watch, the city is going to get nailed on this one.
"Parents warned the city specifically about the underpass."
ReplyDeleteWould you have the exact date/s that occured?
"The whole justification for the tree trimming and removal is to reduce the chance that the unlucky soul who is crushed to death under a falling tree is not you or me."
ReplyDeleteTo date in Encinitas, I would guess that hundreds have died in auto related deaths; thousands from natural causes or disease; scores from passing trains; several from the bluffs; but not one from a falling tree. If the city is removing trees so no one dies under one, seems like they're looking at things that cause fatalities backasswards.
The same tree company that cut down the wrong Mont. Cypress at the park, is going to cut down "select Diseased trees on 101.
ReplyDeleteThis company is from L.A.
do they care about Encinitas?
why dont we get local.
Some trees are "diseased" some aren't.
For the record.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone noticed the condition of the Eucalyptus trees just north of the Madd potter, on Hwy 101?
when are those getting some attention?
They were in the process of cutting down a beautiful old Cyptess? at Pannikin just this past Thursday.
ReplyDeleteThe Latino man I asked said "it was dead." I am sorry to lose another heritage tree.
One thing, a certified "arboist" is just someone with a certificate to cut down trees. How many hours does it take to become "certified?" Isn't this just a vocational course?
A true expert, someone with knowledge of tree preservation, should have to be someone with at least a four year degree in botany.
I don't think very many people will be writing City Hall in favor of the current streetscape plans for narrowing No. Hwy 101 to three smaller lanes, only one going northbound, and adding five roundabouts in just over two miles.
I do hope that some will write about this planned destruction. The trees scheduled for destruction should be examined by a botanist, not just the same arborist who makes a living by cutting down more and more trees.
Someone ask the ciy's risk management guru if the parents of the kid that was killed know about the lady that was turned into a human pretzel only a few years before in the same place!
ReplyDeleteThe pretzel lady survived and complained to the city about the narrow road under the freeway.
The pretzel lady survived but she must have residual brain damage because she is against a roundabout at I5 and Santa Fe.
Walker 0
ReplyDeleteIf that's true about the woman being a victim under the same overpass and she had complained about the narrow pedestrian passage, I think the city might be negligent for not doing something earlier. But keep in mind an old statistic used to say that 1 out of 50 drivers going by you was intoxicated. Everywhere is a danger zone when that happens.
Years ago when I noticed that people kept driving the WRONG WAY on 101, I figured out why. The city had REMOVED all of the One Way signs. Sure enough, a tourist had a head on collision with a local from Sea Bluffs and killed him right in front of me. When the paper asked Alan Archibald about my request Alan said: "We're not going to have a knee jerk reaction (to this death) and just put the signs back up".
Manachevitz!