City withdraws permit to cut down tree after overwhelming response from neighbors
By Darleen Principe Special to the Acorn

Photo courtesy of Simi Valley Public Works TREE PLEA- A look down Loretta Circle, where neighbors were recently successful in convincing the city to withdraw a resident's permit to remove one of the street's Chinese Flame trees.

The city's public works department has decided to withdraw a resident's previously issued permit to remove a 30-foot Chinese Flame tree on Loretta Circle, a short residential cul-de-sac immediately south of the 118 Freeway.

Ron Fuchiwaki, assistant director of public works, told the Simi Valley Acorn on Tuesday that his department had a change of heart on the matter after requesting and receiving input from the city's citizen-led tree advisory board, which unanimously voted to recommend such a withdrawal after hearing comments from several Loretta Circle residents.

"(The tree advisory board)'s recommendation was taken into consideration . . . and we have decided to withdraw the permit to remove the tree, and we have advised that resident of that decision in a letter," said Fuchiwaki, who stated that the tree committee's opinion was only part of the reason public work's changed its previous decision.

The 11-person committee, which advises the City Council and other municipal departments on citywide tree issues, held a June 6 meeting that was attended by 15 residents of Loretta Circle, many of whom called the removal permit, which was issued three months ago on March 15, "unjust."

"This is the greatest place to live and having these trees is so important," said John Schwartz at the meeting.

Others were angered that the permit was issued without consulting the rest of the neighborhood, which is not a current policy of the city. The Acorn later learned that neighbors only found out about the permit after the homeowner shared her plans with a neighbor. The tree is one of several that line the residential street.

"This tree issue is a perfect example of individual rights versus community rights," said Rita Henry, another Loretta Circle resident.

Henry said she felt that removing the tree would affect the property value of the neighborhood and would create a noncohesive appearance of the street.

Other residents went on to say that the tree's roots were not causing any problems on the street or the sidewalk.

Members of the tree advisory board agreed with the neighbors, citing that the removal of one Chinese Flame tree in the neighborhood would not noticeably affect the amount of pollen falling to the ground and that the tree was perfectly healthy. "I do not feel (removal of the tree) is in the best interest of our community," said board member Judy Dwyer.

City Councilmember Barbra Williamson, who chairs the board, said the justifications for the old tree's removal were just not there.

"It was just there minding its business," Williamson said.

Canary trees on Belhaven On the other side of the leaf, the board also recommended June 6 the removal and replacement of at least eight mature Canary Island Pine trees on Belhaven Avenue.

According to city bylaws, a mature tree is defined as "any living native oak tree that has a diameter of five inches or more, or a tree of any other species that has a diameter of nine and a half inches or more, as measured four and a half feet above the root crown." All mature trees located in public areas are protected and may only be removed with permission from the city.

At the tree advisory board meeting, residents of Belhaven Avenue, a neighborhood just east of Kuehner Drive, expressed concern about at least eight Canary Island Pine trees on their street that have caused raised sidewalks, curb damage and gutter problems. Before the meeting, Fuchiwaki said, public works had received a petition from neighbors requesting the city's help in removing the trees.

The residents claimed that the pine trees, which are no longer on the city's approved street tree list, are a potential fire hazard because of the dried pine needles.

During public comment, Thomas Olson, who lives on Belhaven, recalled the state of his neighborhood during the 2003 Simi Valley fires. He said that firefighters at the time referred to the trees as "roman candles."

"Those pine trees are nothing more than a nuisance," Olson said.

Many of his neighbors agreed.

Upon hearing from the residents, Robert Mooney, along with the other members of the board, supported the removal and replacement of the trees Belhaven and suggested that the neighborhood get together and choose a common tree to replace them with.

"Our goal here in Simi is to have mature streetscapes," said Mooney, who acknowledged the danger of keeping the trees and the recurring expenses caused by sidewalk repair and gutter problems.

Public works officials approximated the cost of removing and replacing the trees on Belhaven Avenue to be between $13,000 and $14,000.

These figures do not include the cost of street and sidewalk repairs or the correction of accumulated stagnant water in the intersection of Bernal and Belhaven due to uplifting of the surrounding streets, Fuchiwaki said.

While it is unclear how the city would fund such a project- even if it does get future approval- the board still made its recommendation. This was the first time a city department has ever requested input from the tree advisory board, which was formed in 2000.

Acorn editor Kyle Jorrey contributed to this story.