Redwood City downtown palm trees will be replaced

The Daily Journal/Michelle Durand, 10/17/14.  "Palm fungus may force more Redwood City tree removals."

Redwood City downtown,
"new urbanist renaissance"

 Pacifica Vallemar: "we saved
our palm trees, 2010-11."

"The same fungus that caused the removal of five Redwood City palms around Courthouse Square and Theater Way may force the city to uproot all of its downtown trees.

 ....  One tree removal is currently scheduled but any others will be held off until the new year to maintain downtown’s ambiance during the holidays, Smith said.

.... Replacing the fallen trees with other palms — at a cost of up to $30,000 per tree — is ill-advised because the infection remains alive underground even after the removal and will attack the new plant.  The City Council is expected to hear by year’s end some options to ease the aesthetic loss of the trees, including replacement with a more resilient species."   Read more.

Related, Redwood City -  CNU 23, Dallas Forth Worth,"City spotlight: the new urbanist renaissance of downtown Redwood City." "It is unknown to many New Urbanists, but one of the most dramatic downtown comeback stories of our generation is taking place in Redwood City, California. 

Usual NIMBY tactics

I have been lucky enough to serve as Redwood City’s Downtown Development Coordinator for the past ten years, and to play a role in its renaissance. This dynamic district, formerly ridiculed as “Deadwood City,” has seen an amazing turnaround due to an aggressive program of code reform, a strong investment in public spaces, and a strategy of using entertainment as a catalyzing force. .... The citizens of Redwood City had long desired for their Downtown to be revitalized, and steadily demanded that actions be taken to improve the area."

Related, Pacifica (its a stretch but someone's got to do it)  -  Coastsider/Barry Parr, 3/25/10. "Rally in Pacifica to save the palm trees in Vallemar, Palm Sunday, Mar 28." .... "The core issue is that the trees have now grown close enough to PG&E’s high voltage lines to present a fire and electrocution hazard.  Citizens have argued that this was a foreseeable consequence of placing lines directly above these trees, which have, naturally, grown taller.  As of now, PG&E is not willing to fund environmentally friendly solutions such as redirecting lines, extending poles, or undergrounding the wires." 

 Vallemar Palms blog/Alp Sendil, 4/30/11. "Palm update."  "In April 2010, Mayor Sue Digre announced the formation of the Vallemar Tree Tree Working Group. This group consisted of concerned residents of Vallemar, representatives from Parks, Beaches & Recreation commission, representatives from PG&E, and of course, members of public works from the City of Pacifica. Although specific residents are appointed to the group, the meetings have been open to the general public. The members of the original Vallemar Tree Working Group were myself, Jeff Moroso, Ken Miles, Jody Webster, and Amy Mayo. Amy eventually stepped down and Patti Wylie joined."

Note photographs are from the related articles above.  Redwood city downtown from CNU 23.  Vallemar palm trees with PG&E truck from Coastsider; sign tacked on Vallemar palm tree from Vallemar Palms blog. 

Posted by Kathy Meeh