Newport Beach approves removal of historic tree over appeal from residents
The Newport Beach City Council voted 6-0 on Tuesday to cut down a historic eucalyptus tree located on the site of a library and fire station that are scheduled for demolition and replacement, despite protest from some residents.
The blue gum eucalyptus discussed at Tuesday’s meeting towers over the Balboa Branch Public Library at 100 E. Balboa Blvd. It’s formally designated as a “landmark tree” and is a known nesting site for great blue herons, which are a federally protected species under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
There had been two other historic trees at that location, but those were removed after testing conducted on Dec. 1, 2022, and Aug. 29, 2023, found high levels of rot in them. Arborists also found disease spreading in the third remaining tree, although significantly less than what was seen in the others.
Based on those findings, the Parks Beaches and Recreation Commission approved the removal of the third tree in March. A group of residents organized under the name Friends of Library Park then filed an appeal to that decision in June.
Chris Pitet, speaking on behalf of a Friends of Library Park Tuesday, pointed out those reports did not recommend the removal of the tree. The activists say pruning and proper maintenance could keep the tree standing, and argue it should be preserved for its historic and ecological significance.
“I’m here to respectfully disagree with staff on the health of this tree,” resident and Friends of Library Park member Jim Maloney said Tuesday. “It’s not sick. It’s not dying.”
City officials say the old eucalyptus is decaying at a rapid rate. They say it may be at “high risk” of becoming too diseased to stand within five years.
“It’s not just tomography [rate of decay] that we’re looking at as a problem with the tree,” Newport Beach Landscape Manager Kevin Pekar said. “It’s the construction activities on site. If we were to leave the tree and design around the tree, there would be compaction, there would be root pruning. The tree overhangs the existing structure. Just removing the footing of that structure would damage roots irreparably. That would ... hasten that decay.”
City officials also note although great blue herons are protected, they are not endangered. They are also opportunistic breeders capable of choosing new nesting grounds, and alternatives for the birds are available in the harbor area.
The library the tree is growing next to was built in 1929, and the adjacent fire station was constructed in 1962. Studies deemed both to be in poor condition due to their age.
The city has approved plans to tear them down and rebuild them beginning in 2025. On Tuesday, several residents who spoke gave pubic comment expressed disappointment about the replacement of the historic buildings.
“I’ve been to that library many times,” Councilwoman Robyn Grant said. “... It is a very emotional place for many of us here who have lived in Newport Beach. That has to be reconciled with needs moving forward of public safety, additional library services, which are also very important.”
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