Santa Barbara parks commission approves Cliff Drive tree removals with required replacements; rules set for several other tree requests

The Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Commission on June 25 approved removal of 23 street trees along Cliff Drive as part of the Cliff Drive Vision 0 active-transportation project, conditioning the approval on planting at least 70 replacement trees and a two‑year establishment watering commitment.

The Commission opened the agenda item after a presentation from City staff and project planners. Michelle Bedard, project planner, described the corridor and the active‑transportation design, saying, “The project is at the whole corridor of Cliff Drive from the west boundary along Arroyo Burro County Beach Park to Castillo Street.” She told the panel the proposal includes a two‑way separated bike path, 14 new crosswalks (bringing the total to 18), four new traffic signals and roughly 70 opportunities for new street trees along the corridor.

Why it matters: Commission members and the Street Tree Advisory Committee said the project advances Vision 0 safety goals by separating bicyclists from vehicle lanes and adding crosswalks, while acknowledging the loss of mature trees is significant. The Commission framed its approval to balance public‑safety and multimodal access goals with urban‑forest outcomes by requiring replacement plantings and a guaranteed maintenance window.

Key facts and debate - Project scope: separated bike paths primarily on the south side of Cliff Drive, four proposed traffic signals (including at two Santa Barbara City College campus entrances), bus‑stop enhancements and new crosswalks. - Existing trees and proposed removals: staff said there are 322 existing street trees in the corridor; 23 within the public right‑of‑way were proposed for removal. The project team identified roughly 70 new planting opportunities. - Replacement commitment: the Commission’s approval requires at least 70 replacement trees and a two‑year establishment watering/maintenance commitment. Staff also said their intent is to use a minimum 24‑inch box size for most replacement street trees where site conditions permit.

Public comment and concerns Several residents and community members spoke during public comment. Fifteen‑year‑old resident Isabelle Payne said, “I don’t think it makes up for cutting down some of the larger, mature trees that we already have,” and urged commissioners to retain large trees where possible. Other speakers raised concerns about wildlife displacement, canopy loss, and the time required for small trees to provide the shade and habitat of mature specimens. Project staff and commissioners responded that the design team had tried to minimize removals and that replacement plantings will use a palette intended to restore canopy over time.

Other tree actions taken - Franceschi House (1501 Franceschi Road): The Commission approved removal of five on‑site trees tied to the Franceschi House re‑imagining project (three eucalyptus and two pittosporum). Staff said the project area is under one acre, is in a high fire hazard zone and the plan proposes 17 new trees as part of a reimagined landscape palette (seven specimen trees, five shade trees, four island oaks and one Santa Cruz ironwood). The matter will return to the Commission as part of the project entitlement review.

- 920 Weldon Road: The Commission approved removal of a blue gum eucalyptus in the front setback, with the condition that the applicant plant a replacement tree that can achieve about 40 feet in height at maturity. The Street Tree Advisory Committee recommended the removal based on tree health and public‑safety considerations.

- 1009 Roble Lane: The Commission denied the property owner’s request to remove 10 queen palms in the street setback. The Street Tree Advisory Committee found the palms to be reasonably maintained and healthy and recommended denying removal. Neighbors had argued the palms caused litter, view obstruction and wind hazard concerns; the Commission recorded those concerns but concluded the application did not meet the committee’s removal findings.

Votes at a glance - Cliff Drive Vision 0 — removal of 23 street trees: Approved (motion passed). Condition: at least 70 replacement trees planted and a two‑year watering/establishment commitment; staff will generally aim for 24‑inch box stock where appropriate. (Motion mover: Chair McGill; second: not specified; vote tally not recorded in transcript.) - Franceschi House tree removals (1501 Franceschi Road) — 5 on‑site trees: Approved (motion passed). (Mover/second not specified in transcript; tally not recorded.) - 920 Weldon Road — removal of one blue gum eucalyptus: Approved with condition that a replacement tree that can mature to about 40 feet be planted. (Motion mover: Commissioner Aldana; second: not specified; tally not recorded.) - 1009 Roble Lane — removal of 10 queen palms: Denied (motion passed to deny). (Motion mover: Chair McGill; second: not specified; tally not recorded.)

What’s next Project approvals that remove public trees may be subject to appeal to the City Council under the Santa Barbara Municipal Code (the Commission read appeal language on the record). The Cliff Drive project continues through final design; staff said some planting counts and exact locations may change as final engineering and right‑of‑way constraints are resolved.

Ending note: Commissioners repeatedly described the decisions as balancing competing public interests — active‑transportation safety, urban forest canopy, and neighborhood impacts — and asked staff to continue outreach and to aim for high‑quality replacement planting and two years of establishment care.