The Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Commission on Dec. 17 approved two separate recommendations from the Street Tree Advisory Committee to remove mature trees and set conditions for replacement planting.

Chair McGill and city staff presented the committee’s review of a request to remove an evergreen ash at 905 Flora Vista Drive. Staff summarized that the committee found inconclusive evidence that the tree caused the applicant’s reported water-service issues but noted the species’ propensity to self-seed and spread. “After review, they made a recommendation to approve the removal of the tree on the condition that a new tree be planted that can achieve 25 feet in height and maturity,” staff said. Commissioners debated the species’ regional invasiveness, the tree’s health and the weight of precedent from prior cases. Commissioner Aldana moved to approve the removal with the 25-foot replacement requirement; the motion passed 4–3.

Commissioners split over whether the tree’s ability to germinate readily made removal appropriate even when structural damage evidence was limited. Commissioner Ramsey argued the species has a long history in local plantings and cautioned against “cutting down a healthy tree because it spreads seed too well,” while other commissioners said collective spread in open spaces justified removal.

The commission also approved the Street Tree Advisory Committee’s recommendation to remove a large river red gum at 1940 Mission Ridge Road after the committee and staff raised concerns about the tree’s size, a subtle lean toward the street and potential risk to an adjacent property wall and the roadway. The property owner, Wilhelmina Barker, told the commission she supported the removal and said she and the house’s contractor were prepared to plant a replacement; “I support whatever the committee recommended, and we are happy to plant another tree,” Barker said. The committee recommended replacement with a species capable of reaching 30 feet at maturity; the commission approved removal with that replacement condition.

On a separate item, the commission voted to modify the street-tree species designation for Nopal Street to standardize future plantings. Staff recommended designating Engelmann oak, strawberry madrone, sweetbay and bigleaf maple for different blocks to create planting consistency and to match parkway widths and infrastructure. Commissioners discussed native status, stormwater features and parkway width limits; the motion to adopt the new designation passed.

All three items used the advisory committee’s “principles of good forest management” as a supporting finding. Staff noted municipal code regulates replacement thresholds (for example, regulated trees are measured at 4.5 feet above grade and generally exceed a 4-inch-caliper threshold), and commissioners asked staff to consult on suitable replacement species when property constraints limit planting locations.

The decisions will require applicants to coordinate replacement planting with the Urban Forest/parks department and follow the department’s planting and maintenance standards. The commission’s action on the Flora Vista request was recorded as a 4–3 vote; other votes were recorded as approved by the body.

The meeting packet, staff site photos and the advisory committee reports form the record of the decisions; staff said they will work with property owners on replacement tree selection and planting logistics.