Parks commission approves multiple street-tree removals, replacements and street-tree designation updates

The Santa Barbara City Parks and Recreation Commission on Wednesday approved a series of street-tree removal and species-designation actions recommended by the Street Tree Advisory Committee, concluding several neighborhood-level applications with conditions that require replacement plantings.

Commissioners voted to allow the removal of an American sweetgum at 114 Coronado Circle, two blue gum eucalyptus at 1761 Sycamore Canyon Road, landscape removals at 2126 Castillo Street, three evergreen pears and six queen palms at 3102 Seacliff, and an Italian stone pine at 4151 Foothill Road, while denying a request to remove two tipu trees at 629 Calle Palo Colorado. The commission also approved updates to the street-tree master plan for Plaza Del Monte (retain jacaranda; add desert willow and coast live oak) and for Belmonte Drive (retain jacaranda; add desert willow).

The decisions were driven by site-specific findings recorded by the Street Tree Advisory Committee and by staff assessments presented to the commission. Mr. Slack, staff presenting for the committee, said the Coronado Circle sweetgum had “some decay in the upper canopy” and that “the amount of root pruning that would be required when the driveway was repaired would be detrimental to the tree,” so the committee recommended removal on the condition that “a new tree is planted that can achieve a minimum height of 30 feet at maturity.” The commission adopted that recommendation.

For 1761 Sycamore Canyon Road, the committee concluded the two blue gums were in “fair to poor health” and posed structural and safety concerns on a slope. Slack…