Neighbors decry removal of trees around ABC streets

Downtown residents rallied to save trees in their neighborhoods on Wednesday, pleading with members of the city Tree Advisory Commission to halt the widespread cutting as part of a sidewalk replacement project.

About 15 residents of the ABC neighborhood showed up at the commission meeting, normally a sleepy affair, and put up a loud protest.

I feel like Im witnessing a take no prisoners approach and attitude happening in our neighborhood, Richard Newman, a Spencer Street resident, said to the commission, his voice dripping with disgust. Weve been sitting around and talking about this problem, and now (the citys) going to come in and just devastate a charming community. You have to think this out a little bit better. A little bit better please!

The friction between residents and the city stems from a program that repaves 10 miles of neighborhood streets annually. This years $3 million project, mostly appreciated by residents who are tired of driving pothole-ridden and warped pavement, is located in the ABC streets neighborhoods. The work includes replacing sidewalks, which requires the removal of more than 200 trees in the area that city staff say are diseased, in danger of falling or causing breakage to the sidewalks.

Most of the trees set to be removed are a species known as Arizona Ash, a species native to Arizona and well-suited for desert environments. Here in Napa, the trees have a life expectancy of about 30-40 years, according to city staff, though most were planted more than 50 years ago. The city plans to replant more trees than it removes, but admits the new trees will be smaller.

Dave Perazzo, Napas parks, trees and facilities manager, said the city doesnt make the decision to remove trees lightly, but wants to remove trees that could become a hazard. We dont remove trees for no reason, he said Tuesday. Safety is our reason.

But once neighbors began to witness trees in front of their homes coming down, they began protesting. Some called the city, some placed homemade signs on the trees requesting they not be cut down and some showed up to Wednesdays Tree Commission meeting to voice their concerns.

At this point, Im a bit discouraged, Napa resident Elizabeth McKinne said during the meeting. If I were in your position, I would consider it my duty to pass this along to the City Council, so the public at large has the opportunity to give feedback to an entity that can actually do something. This is a huge deal.

The meeting, which at times devolved into a back-and-forth discussion between frustrated residents, city staff and commissioners, stretched on for almost two hours. The matter wasnt a formal agenda item for the commission to discuss, meaning that the board took no action.

However, Deputy Public Works Director Phil Brun and Perazzo tried to reiterate the citys policies related to sidewalks, streets and tree maintenance. Brun stressed that the City Councils main goals in the street and sidewalk repaving program is to make neighborhoods safer. He said that the sidewalk improvement program affects the most trees, but also said the city is not merely removing trees to make it easier to replace sidewalks.

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Neighbors decry removal of trees around ABC streets