Most certainly this mature tree will be removed for the driveway. Was it bad planning on the developer’s part – and is there a permit for the tree’s removal?
“The onslaught of street tree removal by local developers continues,” a reader wrote and sent a photo of a tree that she felt was slated for removal.
The reader wrote that this was one of many trees planted by Palisades Beautiful in the El Medio Bluffs area, about 15 years ago.
“If you look around the neighborhoods at the new houses, they all have in common a lack of street trees, blank spots on tree-lined streets,” the reader said, and added, “I wish the permitting process addressed this.”
Circling the News contacted David Card, who is a former Pacific Palisades Community Council (PPCC) President and the current chair of its forestry committee.
He acknowledged that the primary focus of the committee is planting new trees, but “At the same time, we do have to protect the trees we have.”
Card said that the removal of a street tree requires a City Permit, but that some people and developers are either not aware of the law – or ignore it.
He suggests trying to speak to the owner or building or write a letter. “If a tree is removed, ask for a copy of the permit,” Card said, and noted that if there’s no permit or cooperation, it can be reported to the City of L.A. Urban Forestry Division, Streets L.A.
If this were not the middle of an election cycle, one’s councilperson could generally be of assistance, too.
All City contacts can be found on the PPCC website: pacpalicc.org.
“Needs to be permitted” is a misleading headline!!
This particular developer has a history of hoping no one notices, then paying fines and replacing trees if someone does.