Homeowners along a residential street in suburban Burbank are upset and looking for answers after the city informed them it would be cutting down more than 120 trees that it says are at risk of falling.
The Aleppo Pine trees are located throughout the city, with a large swath of them located along North Niagara Street in the Magnolia Park neighborhood. The mature trees have lined the street and provided shade for decades and are estimated to be about 100 years old.
But recent drought conditions have made them unstable, the city says, and several have already come down and caused major damage to the vehicles, homes and the the sidewalk.
In February, during one of Southern California’s unseasonable rainstorms, several of the trees fell, crushing cars and damaging homes.
Because of their weakening roots and fall risk, the city has decided that the trees need to come down before they fall and cause more property damage — or worse.
Burbank Parks & Recreation Director Marisa Garcia said the decision to take down the trees did not come lightly.
(Images courtesy of City of Burbank)
(Images courtesy of City of Burbank)
(Images courtesy of City of Burbank)
In a statement to KTLA, Garcia said the trees needed to be taken down for community safety, adding that it’s a symptom of the challenges facing urban forestry brought on by climate change.
“We’ve realized that these magnificent trees have outgrown our residential spaces,” Garcia said. “As we embark on this necessary change, we assure the community that the replacement trees will be more resilient, offering wide-ranging benefits including cleaner air, energy efficiency, stormwater management, temperature regulation, noise reduction, and a habitat for local wildlife.”
Residents will take an active role in the process, Garcia said, choosing a new species of tree that fits the neighborhood’s needs.
City investigating after Universal Studios trims trees where workers were striking
Still, some homeowners are concerned about what impacts their removal could cause. In an online petition that has garnered more than 1,200 signatures, residents have voiced concerns about the effects on local wildlife and the impact on the overall value of homes on the block.
(Images courtesy of City of Burbank)
Dyane MacKinnon, who organized the petition, said residents have spoken to real estate agents and have been informed that cutting down the trees and altering the neighborhood’s overall cohesion could cause property value to go down as much as 10%.
Studies have shown that neighborhoods with more trees tend to have higher property values, including in Los Angeles where tree-lined streets are often found in the most expensive and high-income neighborhoods.
Some of the petition signers called the tree removal a “tragedy,” while others accused the City of outsourcing its tree management to non-experts.
But not all Burbank residents share this sentiment, including one person whose house was seriously damaged by a fallen tree on a nearby street.
The City of Burbank says it’s managing the local tree population carefully and with thoughtful consideration. Garcia said the city manages more than 33,000 trees and it is dedicated to the health and longevity of the “diverse urban forest,” with a mission to ensure they are around for future generations to enjoy.
An exact timeline for when the trees will be taken down has not yet been established, but a city official told KTLA it could happen as soon as October.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to reflect that more than 120 trees will be cut down citywide, not 140. City of Burbank Communications Manager Jonathan Jones later clarified that 37 of those trees will be taken down in the area of Niagara Street.
Close Modal
Suggest a Correction
Suggest a Correction
ktla.com
https://ktla.com/news/local-news/burbank-residents-frustrated-after-city-announces-plans-to-cut-140-trees-in-neighborhood/
