Focusing on ficus

Christine Carrillo

With the chorus of “Tie a Yellow Ribbon ‘Round the Old Oak Tree” as

her inspiration, Linda Grant ran up and down Main Street on Sunday

gathering petitions, informing Newport Beach residents and visitors about

the issue and tying yellow ribbons ‘round the old ficus trees.

The issue: The ficus trees that have served as a canopy over Main

Street on the Balboa Peninsula for 40 years are scheduled to be removed

as a result of a 3-2 vote by the Newport Beach City Council on Tuesday.

The city plans to eventually replace them with coral gum trees.

But, on Sunday, some residents rallied ‘round the ficus trees.

“We think [the City Council members] need to investigate the issue

with more authority,” said Jan Vandersloot, an avid Newport Beach

activist and environmentalist, adding that council members should be open

to a study session with an arborist to specifically discuss the trees.

“It will show them that it’s perfectly feasible to keep the trees if they

practice better maintenance.”

With a display containing photographs, city policy and environmental

concerns catching the eyes of many people walking by, the tying of the

yellow ribbons served as the symbolic event of the day.

Although the intent was to evoke sentiment among Newport Beach

residents, the ribbons managed to also evoke dismay among some crowds and

businesses.

“Take them down,” said Stephan Loutrel, the general manager for B.J.’s

Pizza & Grill. “They cost me an outrageous amount of money every month.”

While he stated that he has no problem with the trees as a whole, he

does have a problem with the financial burden they have become on his

restaurant.

Echoing the reasons the City Council voted for the removal of the

trees, Loutrel said that since his restaurant is directly on Main Street,

he has been faced with expensive plumbing problems as well as property

damage to his floors due to the trees’ roots.

Such financial burdens inflicted upon business owners served as the

main reason the City Council -- minus Councilmen Gary Adams and Gary

Proctor -- voted for the removal of the trees.

Grant, along with other individuals attempting to save the trees,

believe that if the city accepts its responsibility of maintaining the

trees and providing compensation to businesses that have incurred damage

from the trees, their removal will not be necessary.

Nearly 10 of the ficus trees along Main Street have been placed on the

city’s special tree list protecting them from removal unless there exists

some sort of overriding consideration.

Vandersloot stated that the renovation of the Balboa Peninsula was not

one of those considerations creating quite a stir among Newport Beach

residents.

“I think [the City Council] went about it as quickly and as secretly

as they could,” said Barbara Quick, a 15-year Newport Beach resident. “I

think they have a misguided idea about what the village needs.”

And as many residents and business owners agree, the trees are what it

needs.

“If they take them out, we’re going to lose the warm character of the

city,” said Cathy Kent, the owner of Kites Etc., on the peninsula. “It’s

conducive to bringing people to the area because of its cozy down-home

feel.”

Michael Fagundes, whose restaurant is on Main Street, has had a few

problems because of the trees, but agrees that they are definitely a part

of the city.

“It will be rough to see them go,” he said.

Fagundes, the manager of the Shorehouse Cafe, said the restaurant has

had plumbing problems as a result of the trees, but is not particularly

bothered by it.

Ribbons once wrapped around the trees at times found themselves

hanging out of nearby trash cans on Sunday. But their trash life didn’t

last long as they found their way around the trees again.

“Over my dead body, they’re going to take my trees down,” Grant said.

And with passion, like that driving her and other tree supporters,

it’s unlikely the ribbons will continue to find their way back into the

trash.

* Christine Carrillo is the news assistant. She may be reached at

(949) 574-4298 or by e-mail ato7 christine.carrillo@latimes.comf7 .