Resident fights to save the ficus

Tariq Malik

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- Community activism is not Chuck Larson’s cup of

tea.

The aerospace engineer and 25-year city resident doesn’t enjoy the

process he’s going through to save about 18 neighborhood trees. But, he

said, it’s necessary.

Over the past few weeks, Larson has been trying to overturn a petition

to remove the ficus trees in front of his home, and about 17 others on

the north side of Heil Avenue between Graham Street and Clubhouse Drive.

“They really make a difference in defining what the neighborhood is,”

Larson said. “I’d consider moving out of my home if they were removed

because the place wouldn’t be the same.”

Three years ago, a Heil Avenue resident walked door to door with a

petition asking neighbors to support replacing the trees with smaller

ones. Problems such as root uplift beneath concrete curbs and sidewalk

damage were associated with the trees.

But Larson said the 30-year-old trees provide a number of positives

for the community, including a 20-degree temperature difference when

shade falls on houses and sidewalks, as well as the overall look of the

area.

On Heil Avenue, the 40-foot ficus trees have grown too large for the

parkway in which they’re rooted, city officials said. Because of their

shallow root system and the tendency of concrete to retain water, the

trees have pushed under curbs, sidewalks and sewers through the years.

“The city’s policy on tree removal requires a consensus from the

neighborhood,” said John Van Oeffelen, supervisor of trees, landscape and

pest control for the Public Works Department. “That’s our main focus . .

. what the residents want for their neighborhood.”

Ultimately, the trees would be replaced with smaller ones more suited

to the size of the parkway, he added.

To petition for tree removal, 75% of the households in a neighborhood

must agree, city officials said. The 1997 petition attained that

consensus, getting support from 13 of the neighborhood’s 18 homes. But

since then, two of those residents no longer live in the neighborhood,

including the person who launched the petition, Larson said.

Van Oeffelen added that if there was to be any tree removal, it would

occur about six months from now because of budget concerns.

“So we have a lot of time to contact the residents on the entire

block, between Graham and Springdale streets, and get their opinions on

the trees,” he said, adding that 17 more ficus trees between Springdale

Street and Clubhouse Drive are causing the same damage seen on Larson’s

block.

City officials said they are in the planning stages of contacting the

residents.