Judge leaves ficus decision up in air

June Casagrande

Ficus foes and fans were left out on a limb Monday after a judge

postponed deciding whether the city should be allowed to remove 25

ficus trees on Main Street.

City officials had expected Orange County Superior Court Judge

Ronald L. Bauer to decide quickly in the case between the city and

the Balboa Arborist Society. Instead, Bauer, who had taken the case

on an expedited basis, said he needed more time to make a fair

decision.

“We don’t know when we’ll hear,” Newport Beach Assistant City

Atty. Robin Clauson said. “Right now it’s wait and see.”

Time is critical because the city’s plans for Balboa Village

renovations hinge in part on whether they are allowed to remove the

25 trees. The city had planned to remove them sometime between Sunday

and Sept. 15 to meet a California Coastal Commission rule that

requires work in the area to be finished in time for summer.

Arborist Society leader Jan Vandersloot had fought for the city’s

assurances that officials would not remove the trees before the early

September schedule, to allow time to take legal action to stop the

trees from being removed.

Society members and residents on their side of the ficus debate

say the 40-year-old trees should be preserved instead of replaced

with much younger and smaller coral gum trees. This is especially

true, they say, because the trees create a cooling and attractive

canopy, and because some of the trees are designated as protected

trees by the city.

Officials, merchants and some residents say the trees, though

beautiful, cause more damage than they are worth. They blame the

fast-growing ficus roots for damage to sidewalks, sewer lines and

building foundations in the area.

City officials were waiting for the court decision to determine

whether they should award at their council meeting tonight a

$2.8-million contract for Balboa Village improvements. Clauson said

city staff would try to find a way to award the contract tonight

while still allowing for the possibility that work could be delayed

until next year if the judge decides the trees should stay.

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport.

She may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

june.casagrande@latimes.com.