The 13 trees are being removed from North Milpas Street for safety, accessibility, and sightline issues. | Credit: City of Santa Barbara Public Works

Santa Barbara’s Parks and Recreation Commission gave a unanimous go-ahead Wednesday, January 29, to a Public Works department request to remove 13 trees from North Milpas Street sidewalks. But it came only after the commission chair secured wording that conditioned the removals on a commitment to plant at least 30 new trees in vacant wells and curb extensions that will be created in a long-awaited safety upgrade of intersections between Quinientos and Canon Perdido streets. 

“I’m reluctant to do a blanket approval with no conditional replacement,” Chair Kathy McGill said to Urban Forest Supervisor Nathan Slack. “What is the number you would be comfortable with as a conditional replacement?”

Slack said he could guarantee 30, but that it will likely be more trees than that. 

Voices raised in protest were not as numerous as those raised in the recent, successful appeal of a commission vote to redesignate East Anapamu’s street tree from Italian stone pine to coast live oak. But the five residents who spoke against the removals argued strongly that alternatives could be found if the city were creative and looked hard enough for them. 

Andrew Kendrick, a business owner who lives on Quinientos, said, “Some of these [safety changes] are critical. The sidewalk width — it has to be there. If you’re in a wheelchair, it’s got to be there, but I’m not sure all those trees have to go.” 

Michelle Bedard, Public Works project planner, went through each offered suggestion (including the adding of warning signs to each tree that obstructs a sightline). 

“I think adding signage just adds visual conflicts,” Bedard said. “Going into other options would probably involve getting property acquisitions, which is very expensive, and we’re already working on limited funding to do this project.” 

As the vote was called, a heckler shouted from the back of council chambers, “Don’t do it. Don’t do it. Do not approve that.” 

Commission Vice Chair Nichole Clark said that as she walked North Milpas, studying the position of the trees, particularly the eight towering Indian laurel figs, and how they impact wheelchair accessibility and pedestrian safety, a gentleman on crutches and in a walking cast approached a street corner. 

“And then he disappeared. I could not see him at all. And a car came whipping around the corner and almost hit him,” she said. “As much as our urban forest is so important to our survival as a species, and to our city and community, people are important too.” 

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