Board President's messageDan MurphyPreservation of heritage trees is an ongoing neighborhood issue A perennial neighborhood issue is preservation of our beloved heritage trees. They stoically shade us from our scathing summer sun. Filtering and dividing the light, they parse the sky like an endless kaleidoscope. Beautiful in their own right, they also expand the scant space allotted to nature by building up not out to provide a niche for birds, squirrels, and other wildlife. Our affection is no passing fancy. When the Curtis family arrived more than 150 years ago they picked their homestead, at what is now Montgomery Way and Franklin Boulevard, because of the shade and comfort of a towering oak. Indeed, family lore reports their Native American predecessors had regularly camped under it. When residential development began in earnest in what is now Curtis Park, the advertisements invariably touted the scattered oak monarchs that studded the subdivisions. It is no accident that "Oaks" is part of the name of all our major subdivisions: Curtis Oaks, West Curtis Oaks, South Curtis Oaks, Heilbron Oaks, St. Francis Oaks. Almost 100 years ago, the early neighborhood association was embroiled in controversy over conflicts between preserving monumental trees and the demands of street cars lines and autos. A few beloved trees still stand amid or encroach upon our quirky streets. These magnificent traffic calming wardens give silent testimony in favor of a different set of values than engineering everything for the convenience of cars. Our original stock of heritage native oaks and the many other species of heritage sized trees introduced over the years are not immortal. Sadly, the majestic oak that stood sentry over the original Curtis family homestead succumbed in 1995, and many others have been taken down in recent years. A tree that is terminally diseased will fall. A heritage tree that is on its last legs and presenting genuine danger to homes and residents should be taken down safely before a tragedy occurs. However, whether a tree is diseased, or so diseased that it presents a danger, can be controversial. Sharp pangs from loss of a great old tree can fuel suspicion about the need for euthanasia and lead to bitter recriminations. It seems that every time a tree comes down, there are doubts of this nature. To lessen the prospect of acrimony and to protect against unnecessary felling, Chapter 12.64 of the city ordinance provides for a hearing on proposals to remove heritage trees. (City codes are available on line at www.qcode.us/codes/sacramento/.) Recently, a heritage oak in the neighborhood was removed without a hearing and a proposal to remove another heritage oak for development entered the hearing process. By the time this issue of Viewpoint reaches you, SCNA's Neighborhood Concerns Committee will have met and discussed with city staff how the ordinance is being enforced. Viewpoint will follow up with the findings. This is the kind of issue for which SCNA provides a unique neighborhood forum.
|