A sign protesting the cutting down of 227 trees in Alhambra (Photo – Melissa Michelson).
A public hearing for the community to engage with the Alhambra City Council before they vote on the tree ordinance.
What’s the latest on tearing down the trees?
- Planning Commission and City Council voted to approve the Orange County developer’s (St. Clair) project to tear down the mature trees. Originally 265 of 268 trees on the 12 acres of green space were to torn out. City council approved their plan Sep. 11, 2017 to keep 19 trees in place and box up 40 trees for transplanting back on property (mostly Crape Myrtles), bringing the total chop-downs to 209 on-site trees (not including street trees).
- In Oct. 2017, the developer and this group after a walk-through of the site with our arborist and theirs, came to a written agreement to save 26 trees in place and transplant 59 trees, bringing the total tear-down to 183 on site trees.
- In Feb. 2018, in an effort to increase the green space around the now-saved historic church and remove 6 extra parking spots out of the 250+ for the townhouses alone, the City Council voted “NO” on having some more green.
The bottom line is if Alhambra had had a tree ordinance, would these trees have been saved?
Source: Marengo Avenue Water Brigade, Alhambra
