Italian Stone Pines Staying on Santa Barbara’s East Anapamu Street

City Council Overturns Decision to Change Official Street Tree to Coast Live Oaks

By Isabelle Walker Thu Jan 16, 2025 | 04:23pm

The Santa Barbara City Council chose beauty and passion over practicality Tuesday, when they upheld an appeal of a decision to change East Anapamu’s official street tree from Italian stone pine to coast live oak.

The end result means that, from here forward, the empty tree beds that edge the sidewalks on East Anapamu between Garden and Milpas will be re-planted with Italian stone pine saplings — much to the joy of historic preservationists and community members.

In the two-and-a-half-hour hearing, City Council members effectively reversed a Parks and Recreation Commission ruling of last October that redesignated the street’s tree to native coast live oak. But whether it was the appellants’ multi-faceted arguments or simply the intense public feeling expressed for the trees that swayed them is hard to know.

“We have some very, very passionate people that appreciate these trees, and it may not even be rational,” Mayor Randy Rowse said.

Only two members of the public spoke in support of the redesignation. One of them was homeowner Micky Cornish, whose plumbing system had been damaged by the roots of the stone pine outside his house on Anapamu.

Appellants Cheri Rae, Richard Closson, and Emma Brinkman contended that redesignating East Anapamu’s tree would be de-landmarking the whole stand and that the Parks and Recreation Commission didn’t have the authority to do that.

They said the city was wrong to believe that the 1997 resolution making the trees a Historic Landmark had bestowed protection on the trees as individuals, and not as a collective stand. If true, they argued, wouldn’t the city have passed 79 separate resolutions, one for each tree?

“This is a deceptively complex hearing,” Councilmember Megan Harmon said. “Isn’t [Parks and Recreation Commission’s] authority [to redesignate] predicated on whether or not it’s the trees themselves or Italian stone pines more generally that are what was historically landmarked?”

And later, Councilmember Mike Jordan, commenting to Closson about California Environmental Quality Act regulations, said, “That resonated that the action being taken could fit that clause of not being eligible for an exception because it carves out an exception to pursuing your exception, even though those other exceptions exist somewhere else. This is why I’m not an attorney.”

Complexities aside, that the Italian stone pines are seriously challenging city infrastructure is plain to see in the places where buckled sidewalks force pedestrians to step carefully as they walk.

“As you cut roots, and cut roots, and fix roads, fix curbs and gutters, fix sidewalks, eventually you get decay and organisms within the root system,” said Nathan Slack, Santa Barbara urban forest supervisor. “That progresses. It’s similar to human diseases. It doesn’t happen quickly, but it happens, and it creates a very difficult situation for staff.”

Two of the giant pines were felled in winter storms in 2023.

And even still, they are beloved.

“This allée speaks to our heritage and is a quintessential part of Santa Barbara,” said Cassandra Ensberg, a member of the Historic Landmarks Committee. “It’s especially important to have this natural environment for ourselves now, for all the stresses and things that we’re going through.”

“To be honest with you, I have a whole page of reasons here why I don’t think that [upholding the appeal] is the best choice,” said Councilmember Jordan, as he revealed he would uphold the appeal. “The street, as it is now, does not work with Italian stone pines; it’s pretty clear to me.”

But what changes would enable the majestic trees to co-exist within the limits of street tree life? Solutions include removing parking along the street, and using permeable pavers in lieu of asphalt, among others.

But one thing is for sure: The life of a street tree, girdled in concrete and deprived of freedom to expand to its natural limits, is a tough road.

“Fortunately, they’re non-complainers,” said Slack.