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Laguna Beach Council approves removal of four public trees, directs broader urban-forest planning
Summary
The council voted to remove a Torrey pine and three other public trees after arborists reported untreatable disease and structural risk, and directed staff to run a public-notice replacement process and develop an urban-forest plan that balances safety, canopy goals and species selection.
Laguna Beach — The city council voted unanimously to remove four public trees and authorized staff to begin replacement planting under the city’s public-tree policy, citing health and public-safety concerns raised by the city arborist.
Matthew Barker, the city arborist, told the council that laboratory testing and diagnostic imaging showed the Torrey pine at Festival of Arts has “between 80 and 90 percent mortality” and is affected by phytophthora root rot and a newly emerged canker. Barker said those conditions leave no viable treatment options and that removal is the safest management approach to reduce risk to the nearby tennis courts and pedestrian areas.
Reza Jafari, deputy director of Public Works and Utilities, described two additional…
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