Whittier will move forward with a plan to knock down 83 ficus trees to rebuild its commercial center, despite strong opposition to the plan.
On Tuesday night, City Council members voted 3 to 1 to move forward with a $20 million redevelopment project in Uptown Whittier that requires the removal of all ficus trees in the three-block project area.
It was decided after that Public outrage for months The fate of the trees won’t be decided until after approval in mid-December. Greenleaf Promenade,
The project is being promoted as a means of making the area more pedestrian-friendly and boosting financial vitality in the area, but some residents believe the tall trees — despite their cooling canopy and imposing presence — are not worth sacrificing.
City leaders said they ultimately saw hope in the renovation, while also pointing to potential health and safety issues caused by the trees.
“I’m looking forward to revitalizing Uptown with new trees, new architecture, new lighting, new sidewalks — I think we can all be proud of it,” said Council Member fernando dutra said before voting in support of the project.
Mary Ann PachecoA member who recently joined the council cast the only vote in opposition. He said planning has a bad image, which can be resolved by improving the planning process.
“There’s a perception in the city that it was done the wrong way, and it was done for the wrong reasons,” she said. “I wouldn’t say that was the case, but until that real issue is dealt with, the trees will continue to be a problem.”
The debate over the trees has divided the community, pitting some business owners against residents — and against each other. There have even been calls to boycott businesses that support the removal of the trees.
Some see the trees as synonymous with the character of the quiet community in eastern Los Angeles County, and praise them for providing shade and absorbing greenhouse gases in a warming world.
Others blame these non-native trees for uprooting sidewalks and blocking sewer lines with their roots, or they are willing to sacrifice the trees to begin work on a project they believe will bring economic benefit.
More than 40 speakers passionately shared their views during public comment at the recent meeting, nearly all of whom opposed the removal of the trees.
Helen RahderExecutive Director of Whittier Conservancycalled the plan “absurd” during his public comments.
“It’s in your hands and you have the ability to do it: revise the plan to include the trees,” he said. “You’re going to have to rethink it. The community won’t accept it.”
Greenleaf Avenue in Whittier on June 5, 2024. Some blame the trees for sidewalk and plumbing problems, while others enjoy the shade.
(Myang J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Tensions grew tense at times during the meeting, which lasted nearly four hours. Audience members at times shouted profanity at officers and twice attacked the Mayor Pro Tem. Kathy Warner A break was ordered amid the noise.
As soon as the meeting was adjourned, someone shouted, “You guys are useless!”
Several council members expressed frustration with the hostile tone of the debate during their comments — both inside and outside City Hall.
At the meeting, council members approved modifications to the project, including planting larger trees to replace those being removed, as well as adding more canopy structures to cover the sidewalk. These changes appeared to answer concerns about the potential loss of canopy and shade, and could boost carbon sequestration.
According to a consultant hired by the city, carbon sequestration will drop significantly in the first year after replacing the current canopy, and is expected to level out in 24 years based on initial plans.
“The break-even year will come sooner with larger trees in this scenario,” said Alan Ashimeen. Michael Baker Internationalwhich provides environmental consultancy. “A larger tree will be planted that will grow faster and absorb more carbon over its lifetime.”
City officials also considered options for phasing the project in over time and answered more than 50 questions posed in public comment, including questions about hazards posed by trees, environmental documentation and legal liabilities arising from historic street lights.
In a text message the day after the meeting, resident Connie McCormack said, “We will not give up!” McCormack, who was among those leading the opposition to the tree removal, suggested a lawsuit might be filed.
Ever since residents came to know about the plan to uproot trees, they have started attending the meetings in large numbers. The rallies were organised And circulated a petition to protest the blanket removal of all trees to make way for the Greenleaf Promenade.
Ficus roots can lift up sidewalks and enter sewers, which has led some residents in Uptown Whittier to support their removal.
(Myang J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
City leaders took note. After a recent “study session” focused on trees led to an uproar, two more sessions were held.
According to city officials, required construction elements, such as grading, made it impossible to save any of the ficus trees.
city manager at the meeting Brian Psaki He said the city can’t remove every other tree because there are tree preservation areas, or areas around trees where “no construction work can take place … without jeopardizing the health of those trees.”
Officials said some other types of roadside trees could also be saved.
One point of broad consensus is that Uptown Whittier, considered the heart of the city, could use some love. Its last renovation was in the 1980s, including restoration after the 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake, which badly damaged the area.
The proposed promenade stretches along the aptly named Greenleaf Avenue, from Wardman Street to Hadley Street, and includes wide sidewalks, outdoor dining, gathering spaces, street furniture and decorative lighting.
Saiki said in a statement last month that city officials are “committed to revitalizing Uptown Whittier to create a thriving, walkable and pedestrian-friendly area that generations of residents can enjoy.” He said that in order to realize the “long-standing vision,” it is necessary to remove some trees in the project area.
“We understand the community’s concerns and appreciate the feedback we’ve received,” Saiki said, adding that the city will plant large replacement trees “wherever possible,” as well as add 39,000 square feet of understory landscaping and 18,000 square feet of new park space.
A similar but smaller pilot project was approved in 2019 but was shelved pandemicThe one-block garden in Uptown, estimated to cost $3.8 million, according to city officials, is different in a way that some consider significant: It preserves clusters of ficus trees.
The project changed and expanded over the next few years, in part because of shifting priorities brought on by the pandemic, city officials said. Greenleaf Promenade ended up costing about five times more than the pilot project.
Last month, Javier Garcia posted a notice urging local homeowners to protect the ficus trees along Greenleaf Avenue.
(Myang J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Despite all this, Uptown Whittier has retained a small-town feel. Greenleaf Avenue is lined with mom-and-pop shops, such as the one that’s been in operation for more than 70 years. Lovell’s Recordswas mixed with new establishments, such as La Sexy MicheladaA bar and restaurant.
Today, the ficus trees that sparked the controversy — supposedly planted in the late 1960s — form a shady canopy across the avenue. Some of their benefits and drawbacks are clearly on display. Step outside their spreading branches on a hot day and be prepared to be beaten by the sun. But when they’re dropping berries, stroll along the sidewalk beneath them and expect to step in organic mud.
The trees that sparked controversy in Uptown Whittier are believed to date back to the late 1960s. Some consider them central to the city’s look and feel.
(Myang J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
It’s not just Whittier who’s grappling with the ambivalence of ficus.
More than 50 ficus trees were cut down in front of a judge as part of a sidewalk renovation project in Beverly Hills ordered the city to stop through a preliminary injunction. Following the verdict, the city opted to complete an environmental impact report for the project, which is still ongoing.
In 2018, Pasadena city officials held a meeting to get community input on whether the ficus trees should continue to be planted, as well as how it would affect Green Street. In March of last year, the volunteer group Pasadena Beautiful Foundation Reported planting 30 ficus trees on the street.
