Photo taken in 2011.
Calling all Torrey Pine lovers!
According to residents on the 4600 block of Long Branch Avenue, the City of San Diego – and its contractor – is posed to chop down the large Torrey Pine on that block – the same Torrey saved by the community seven and a half years ago.
The city’s contractor is on the block at this very moment – 9:30 a.m. Thursday, July 5. Local residents were told the tree has moved and unless trimming it solves the problem, it will be chopped down.
This particular Torrey Pines has a protected status – as do many other Torrey Pines in OB.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
OMG! No! Virginia Wilson, Colleen of Green Center, Geoff Page – we need you now.
Re this Torrey Pine, Anthony Santacroce, Senior Public Information Officer for the City of San Diego contacted the OB Rag to say:
” please know that it was a City crew performing safety pruning this morning under the supervision of our urban forester. Also, the proposal for removal will be in front of the Community Forest Advisory Board on August 8, 2018. The agenda for the meeting will be posted here.” https://www.sandiego.gov/trees/cfab#meetings
I’m unable to comment at length at the moment but I can assure you I will be commenting on this situation long before the August 8 CFAB meeting. While I am relieved to read that Mr Santacroce indicates this is “safety pruning” only, it is very disturbing to me, after so MANY months of effort and sheer work to 1. Get this and other Torreys on the CONSERVED HERITAGE TREE LIST and 2. To ensure that the City keeps the community informed about ANY activity regarding these trees, that once again the City has just ‘steam rolled’ in, pruned whatever they “deemed” necessary without notifying anyone beforehand- take your pick: Save Penninsula trees, OB Planning Board, or OB’s CFAB representative- and put this removal on their “list” for review in the next 3 weeks! Local residents were “told” the tree had moved? ! Told by whom and who was told? And what is the evidence for that movement? Someone heard the tree move in the night?
Seriously, this is EXACTLY how the Saratoga St debacle started…?
Reminder to all the Torrey Pine Tree Lovers
This Wednesday, August 8th, at 11:45 a.m. at the Community Forest Advisory Board Meeting they will be discussing the 4633 Long Branch Avenue protected tree removal recommendations by the city forester. Come hear the city’s plans and respectfully voice your opinion during public comment time. The meeting is in the Committee Room on the 12th floor of City Administration Building, 202 C Street, See agenda here: https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/cfabagenda180808.pdf