Save 3 Heritage Trees on S. Lake

Old shade trees that are thriving without irrigation during the prolonged drought are a valuable public asset that must not be killed to satisfy an intolerant and litigious building owner. Litigation was threatened; Pasadena decided to settle behind closed doors and agreed to destroy these healthy trees! There are non-lethal alternatives for addressing leaf litter, roots, and other concerns…

Pasadena’s Urban Forestry Advisory Committee evaluated the bldg. owner’s complaints against the 3 trees, determined the trees were healthy, concluded there were non-lethal remedies, and denied the request to cut down the trees. Why was UFAC overruled?

Pasadena Counsel decided to override the decision of the City’s own Urban Forestry Advisory Committee (UFAC) that had thoroughly investigated the building owner’s complaints and evaluated the condition of the trees in front of 497 S. Lake Avenue. UFAC denied a tree removal permit back in 2013. It is a violation of established City policy to cut down healthy trees, yet the UFAC decision was overruled in covert meetings far
from public view.

Killing 3 heritage size trees without public notice sets a chilling precedent! Any time a property owner or store dislikes a tree, they now know that persistent threat of litigation will cause Pasadena to fold and settle by chopping down its irreplaceable public trees. This sort of covert tree condemnation must be stopped in favor of creative alternatives to complaints that include public engagement.

The trunks on the 70-80 year old trees are almost 3 feet in diameter!

As this photo shows, there is no trip hazard from roots raising the sidewalk or curb. Leaf debris can be swept up with a broom!

Contact Mayor Tornek & the Pasadena City Council to demand that these healthy old shade trees be spared!

Please speak up for the trees!
Appeal the secret legal settlement with the commercial building owner that condemned these trees with no public notice or involvement! Request a delay in “tree execution” along with an independent inspection to determine what, if any, damage is actually being caused by the trees.

Pasadena needs to explore alternatives to killing the Indian Laurel Fig trees. Such measures may be far less expensive than cutting down three massive trees!

Mature street trees have high financial, aesthetic, environmental, and emotional value to the community. Pasadena has once again failed to defend its “urban forest.”

Pasadena Mayor Terry Tornek

ttornek@cityofpasadena.net
CC: Mark Jomsky, City Clerk:
mjomsky@cityofpasadena.net
(626) 744-4111 (626) 744-4222
Pasadena City Hall
100 N. Garfield Avenue, Room S228
P.O. Box 7115
Pasadena, CA 91109

Pasadena City Council:

Same land mail address as the Mayor above.
Councilmember Tyron Hampton (District 1)
THampton@cityofpasadena.net
(626) 744-4444
Councilmember Margaret McAustin (District 2)
mmcaustin@cityofpasadena.net
(626) 744-4742
Councilmember John J. Kennedy (District 3)
(626) 744-4738
JohnJKennedy@cityofpasadena.net
Councilmember / Vice Mayor Gene Masada (District 4)
gmasuda@cityofpasadena.net
(626) 744-4740
Councilmember Victor Gordo (District 5)
vgordo@cityofpasadena.net
(626) 744-4741 or (626) 831-8609
Councilmember Steve Madison (District 6)
smadison@cityofpasadena.net
(626) 744-4739
Councilmember Andy Wilson (District 7)
awilson@cityofpasadena.net
(626) 441-4802

The lush canopy and foliage of the Indian Laurel Fig Trees (Ficus microcarp `nitida’) provides refuge for numerous small birds.

Replacement trees would be tiny London Plane saplings planted without irrigation. If they survive, those tiny trees will provide little shade for shoppers or parked cars and zero bird habitat.

The removal of the large Indian Laurel Fig trees will expose an un-attractive, reflective glass commercial building and turn that block of S. Lake Avenue into sun-exposed strip-mall blight.