COSTA MESA

The City Council on Monday considered the fate of trees blocking homeowners’ views in Canyon Park, and of trees on Bear Street. Councilwoman Libby Cowan proposed a rough plan to maintain a shade canopy of trees in the park, develop a phased tree-growth management plan and create a maintenance plan addressing homeowners’ concerns about safety. Under her proposal, staff would develop a plan to replace eucalyptus trees with California oaks, sycamores and other native species over three to 15 years.

The council also approved a plan by C.J. Segerstrom & Sons to remove and replace a variety of trees on Bear Street with Cuban royal palms--with some modifications. The council secured an agreement from Segerstrom to replace the dozen Canary Island pines in the median with a dozen trees of equal size and maturity. These trees could be placed anywhere in the city, including the suggested locations of Fairview Park, the Farm Sports Complex or in Canyon Park. The agreement could cost Segerstrom more than four times as much as the original agreement, depending on what type of trees are selected to replace the 12 median pines, said Paul Freeman, spokesman for Segerstrom.