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Council reviews appeal of city arborist denial for two palms at 105 20th Street; no final decision recorded in transcript
Summary
The council heard a de novo appeal of the arborist's denial to remove two protected palm trees at 105 Twentieth Street; staff recommended denying the appeal and upholding the arborist's decision, but the provided transcript does not show a final council vote.
The City Council heard a de novo appeal of the arborist's decision denying a permit to remove two protected palm trees at 105 Twentieth Street. The hearing included a staff presentation of the code criteria, a chronology of the application and appeal, BNRC review, and testimony from the property owner / applicant about safety concerns. The transcript does not include a final decision by the council in the provided excerpt.
Background: Staff explained that Pacific Grove Municipal Code Title 12 protects private trees with a trunk diameter of 12 inches or more and that removal requires a permit from the city arborist. An application for removal at 105 Twentieth Street (received Sept. 30, 2024) included a third-party arborist report saying fronds had fallen and posed a hazard; the city arborist denied the removal and recommended maintenance under ANSI A300 standards. The property owner appealed; the Beautification and Natural Resources Commission (BNRC) heard the appeal on Jan. 20 and denied it 5-1. A second appeal was filed and brought to council for de novo review.
Applicant testimony: The property owner said the two palm trees are 5 to 6 feet from an adjacent house, have sharp falling fronds, and had recently broken a window during high winds; they argued the palms are a hazard to pedestrians and can contact overhead electrical lines. The applicant said removal costs would be borne by the owner and that the owner would replant an appropriate tree elsewhere.
Staff recommendation and evidence: The city arborist's findings (as presented by staff) were that the subject palms appear healthy and that risk can be mitigated by proper trimming and maintenance, consistent with ANSI A300 standards. The third-party arborist report recommended removal as the primary option and pruning/monitoring as alternatives.
Record and next steps: The transcript segment provided does not record a council vote or final ruling. The record shows the hearing proceeded with the applicant's presentation and staff direction about the procedural steps and time allowances. Any final council action is not included in the excerpt supplied.
Ending: Because the transcript ends before a final council ruling on the appeal, the article records the status (appeal heard, BNRC denial, staff recommendation to deny appeal) and the main arguments from both sides; readers should consult the official posted minutes or subsequent meeting records for the council's final disposition.
