Peninsula to lose its ficus trees

June Casagrande

NEWPORT BEACH -- They’re beautiful. They’re shady. They’re historic.

They’re gone.

The 25 ficus trees that form a gorgeous canopy over Main Street on

Balboa Peninsula must be removed, despite their obvious charms, City

Council members decided Tuesday.

In a 3-2 vote -- with Councilmen Gary Adams and Gary Proctor absent --

council members reluctantly dealt a final blow to the 40-year-old trees.

Dozens of residents on both sides of the issue pleaded their case

until late into the night, all of them agreeing the trees are gorgeous.

Some, especially local merchants, said the trees nonetheless had to go:

Their roots were too damaging to sidewalks and sewer lines. As evidence,

Gay Wassall-Kelly, president of the Balboa Merchant Owners Assn., brought

to the lectern a long ficus root.

“We call it the root of all evil,” she said. “It traveled about 125

feet.”

General Services Director Dave Niederhaus has recommended removing the

trees and ultimately replacing them with coral gum trees during the

revitalization of Balboa Peninsula, which will enter its second phase in

the fall.

But some residents said the staff hasn’t done enough to protect the

trees, especially the 10 trees that are designated as “special.” Under

city guidelines, the city is required to make an “extraordinary effort”

to preserve special trees. Some have suggested that pruning the trees’

roots and installing underground barriers to prevent the roots from

spreading could be the solution.

“The general services director has not done anything to preserve these

trees,” said Jan Vandersloot, a vocal supporter of preserving the trees.

The trees are valued at $190,000. In recent years, two claims have

been paid by the city because of these ficus trees. Those claims totaled

$5,000.

Niederhaus estimated, though, that future potential liability to the

city would likely be six figures. In recent years, some merchants have

paid out of pocket to fix damage to sewer lines directly affecting their

businesses.

In the end, a thin majority of the council decided that removing the

trees during the renovation was the only real solution to the problem.

They approved the plan to remove the trees by a 3-2 vote, with Norma

Glover and John Heffernan dissenting.

* June Casagrande covers Newport Beach. She may be reached at (949)

574-4232 or by e-mail at o7 june.casagrande@latimes.comf7 .