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Board Upholds DPW Denial of Palm-Tree Removals at 1601 Mission Street
Summary
The Board of Appeals upheld the Department of Public Works’ denial of a private removal permit for three Washingtonia palms at 1601 Mission Street, voting 4-0 after DPW and Planning staff and witnesses debated safety, maintenance costs and billboard visibility.
The San Francisco Board of Appeals voted 4-0 Jan. 28 to uphold the Department of Public Works’ denial of a permit to remove three Washingtonia palm trees adjacent to 1601 Mission Street.
Martin Cutches, a consulting arborist, told the board the palms had outgrown the site and that maintenance and safety challenges grow exponentially as certain palms mature; he recommended removal and replacement with smaller palms.
Chris Buck, Urban Forestry with DPW, told commissioners the department received a removal application but opposed removal. Buck said the palms are healthy, valuable to the streetscape and can be maintained safely by qualified crews; he noted DPW had previously fined a property owner for excessive pruning of palms at the site but also reduced the fine when the trees recovered. "We think these palms are quite an asset," Buck said, and asked the board to deny the removal permit.
Planning staff confirmed there was no planning code requirement to maintain a view corridor for a billboard and said the site had a recent preliminary project assessment that could redevelop the parcel in coming years, a factor weighing toward retaining mature trees.
After questioning and public comment, Commissioner Fung moved to uphold the department’s denial on the basis the trees are healthy. The motion carried 4-0.
The decision keeps the palms in place; DPW said the department remains available to coordinate maintenance and mitigation options if future redevelopment requires changes.
