Ficus trees chopped before Pasadenans' protests

Pasadena has its own  Chain Saw Massacre.

Before organizers could mount a planned protest this morning, Pasadena public works crews moved in during the wee hours of Friday and today to cut down about 15 ficus trees along Colorado Boulevard, famed across America as the Rose Parade route. The mature ficus trees had been the focus of much community debate after merchants demanded their removal because the trees' leafy canopies were obscuring signs, wrecking sidewalks and damaging plumbing.

Tree protectors countered that the trees provided shade and beauty and that the problems could be dealt with in other ways, such as installing rubberized sidewalks to help accommodate root growth and keeping the trees trimmed.

"We should rename Colorado 'Bleak Street,' " said resident Christle Balvin.  "We've lost our shade canopy. If I were a business owner, I would no longer want to locate on this strip. ... It just looks awful."

The city plans in coming weeks to replace a total of 38 mature ficus and carrotwood trees with palm and gingko trees. Many of the cut trees had been in front of Vroman's bookstore, a city institution. Vroman's employees released a statement criticizing the decision to remove the trees.

The protest went on as planned this morning, with organizer Branislav Kecman, a Caltech physicist, gathering signatures on a petition to save the remaining trees.

City officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

--Martha Groves

Comments

[Bob]

The country is in economic cardiac arrest and the LA Times chronicles ficus trees on Colorado Blvd. Enough said.

[Pasadena resident]

I drove by the protest today and saw a reporter with a camera, 4 people with signs, 2 people writing on the stumps and a lot of people standing in line to buy tickets at the movies. These trees were the wrong trees for the space. They destroyed the sidewalks and their canopies were deformed. As a Pasadena resident who often walks the area, I am glad to see them gone and look forward to welcoming new trees into the area. Thank you, Pasadena.

[David Torney]

It appears that city officials went too far.

[Pasadena resident]

and yet it was the OWNER of Vroman's Bookstores, Mr. Joel Sheldon, who spoke before Pasadena's City Council last week demanding that the trees be removed. He was tired of the trees' roots impacting his business. I find him and his business completely disingenuous by allowing the posting of a note saying that they were disappointed with the city's actions. I will no longer shop at Vromans.

[Laurence]

unbelievable! ficus trees add a sense of balance to any street in the LA basin, especially during scorching summer months -- of which Pasadena has more than a few. how come this was not averted? watch out Green Street, which is full of ficus as i recall. sorry -- love palms, but they are hardly shade trees.

some very lame decision making, Pasadena. i don't even live there (i'm in silver lake), but i hope the protesters will get involved earlier in the process and prevent such idiocy from causing more damage.

[James Talbot]

Apparently, the city of Pasadena doesn't have access to a tree expert. As an arborist myself, I can say with confidence that there are simple solutions to continuing root damage and crown density.

How sad it is.

[Suren]

I used to work on Colorado, and though the shade was great, the trees were a hazard as I saw several people trip on the sidewalks and the birds that lived in the trees liberally peppered those passing under them with amazingly well targeted "gifts"...rubberized side walks? really? do they have any idea of the cost of such side walks for trees that are (I believe) not natural to this area and a real pain...come on, folks...urging businesses to NOT locte on Colorado blvd. because the trees are gone...really? can we all get a grip?

[nmoore6676]

Ficus trees planted by Los Angeles have made the sidewalks impassable. The roots uproot the pavement and are damaging and dangerous. Pasadena did the right thing now if LA would follow suit that would be good.

[Chris Peck]

I have been searching online to validate Star News' statement that 'Vroman's management put out a statement saying they were "very sad" about the city's decision to remove the trees.' Now I see that the LA Times reported this as well. If this is true, then Joel Sheldon, owner of Vromans has proved himself to be a liar. I am shocked. He is quite confident and belligerent at public meetings, but apparently pretty meek when faced with losing business. Shame on Vromans for playing both sides of this issue.

[Pasadenan]

Sidewalks can be fixed. It will take decades to replace those trees. In these uncertain economic times and in an era of "Green Living" Pasadena spent $130K to cut down trees. There should have been no rush to do this at this time and it would give time for considered thought. Just because we weren't all down there with signs doesn't mean we agree with the City's short-sighted agenda. Many of us have written to the business owners and council members. I will never spend another dollar at Vroman's and I am urging others to do likewise. It hasn't taken a lot of convincing, since the majority of people in Pasadena love trees and buying books online is so easy. In the end, I think this will end up being a wash economically (versus keeping the trees and resolving the sidewalk and sewer problems) but we will all be poorer for losing the trees.

[M]

Palm trees don't provide shade. They are not natural to this area either. What is the point? As an individual that works in Pasadena and never brings a car into the city, the shade provided by the trees make walking around in the summer reasonable. I suppose the businesses don't like having customers in the summer based on these actions? I guess the city of Pasadena would prefer that more people drive around the city so they don't become insanely uncomfortable by baking in the sunlight during the summer?

[pasadenian]

I must confess that I am an employee of one of the businesses on colorado boulevard. For the past two years I have selfishly enjoyed the shade that the ficus tree has provided me as my desk sits neatly under its comforting shade. I have also shamelessly ignored many of the telltale sings of a tree gone awry. At least once a month a senior citizen found himself on the losing end of a battle between his walker and the crooked sidewalk. Everyday for the last year I would pinch my nose when I stepped into the bathroom. As my eyes watered in the face of the eminent stench, I would curse the building managers for not keeping the bathrooms clean. Then I would retreat to the front of the building and bask in the shade of the ficus tree refusing to realize that my little tree was the culprit of all of these discomforts. Late last week I came to work and my desk was unusually bright I looked out the window and my little tree was gone!! I was more than a little miffed looking around realizing that I might have to move my desk away from the window .... my heart was racing I might need to re-feng shui my desk!! I made my way outside and gone was my comforting shade.. instead there was a stump and many pasadenians standing around as disgusted as I was with the absence of my little tree. They bombarded me with questions ... and showed me pictures of my little trees demise. My little tree found it’s end at 2am friday morning, “in the middle of nesting season” a jpl treehugger added!! While as selfish as I am I think that in the end colorado blvd is doing better without my little tree... I now wear sunscreen, the bathrooms are now bearable and the protruding sidewalk will soon be fixed so grandma’s and grandpa’s can stroll around without a need for a hip replacement.

[Laurence]

so now, instead of the inconvenience of navigating root-crumbled sidewalks, the frail and elderly will be subject to scorching shadeless sun in summer months? i fail to see how that is better.