Eighteen full-grown ficus trees along Cherokee Avenue in Hollywood that were scheduled to be cut down by the city will remain while groups fighting to save them challenge their removal.

Ficus trees on Cherokee Avenue that were scheduled to be cut down will remain while the city and groups hoping to preserve them work to find alternatives. (photo by Edwin Folven)

Attorneys for United Neighborhoods for Los Angeles and Eastside Nature Alliance were in court on Aug. 3 seeking a temporary restraining order blocking the tree removal on Cherokee Avenue between Fountain Avenue and Sunset Boulevard, as well as another tree removal project in South L.A. Only days before the hearing, however, the city put the tree removal projects on hold pending further review, and Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Richard Fruin ruled against issuing a restraining order. The plaintiffs and city officials will meet on a date to be determined to further explore alternatives, said attorney Mitchell Tsai, who represents the groups opposing the tree removal. If the city still plans to complete the projects, Tsai is scheduled to return to court on Sept. 25 to ask for an injunction.

At issue is whether an environmental impact report should be completed for the city’s Safe Sidewalks LA program, a 30-year, $1.4 billion plan to fix damaged sidewalks. The tree removal on Cherokee Avenue was deemed necessary by the city because the roots of the ficuses are buckling sidewalks and making them impassable for people with disabilities. The two tree removal projects contested by the United Neighborhoods for Los Angeles and Eastside Nature Alliance were planned under the sidewalk repair program.

“L.A.’s urban forest is declining,” said Casey Maddren, president of United Neighborhoods for Los Angeles. “Our point is yes, repair the sidewalks, but do an EIR so you can look at alternatives.”

Paul Gomez, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Bureau of Public Works, said the tree removals are on hold until the city further considers alternatives put forth by United Neighborhoods for Los Angeles and Eastside Nature Alliance.

“Until they take it up, [the trees] will remain up indefinitely,” Gomez said.

Councilman David Ryu, 4th District, is concerned about cutting down the 18 ficuses on Cherokee Avenue and also previously asked the Urban Forestry Department to consider alternatives. The Urban Forestry Department determined that because the trees are so large and are close to private property lines, there are no ways to fix the sidewalks so they are wide enough for wheelchair access. The Board of Public Works commissioners previously approved the removal. The city planned to replace the ficuses with 36 pink trumpet trees.

“When the Urban Forestry Department first told my office that 18 trees had to be removed on Cherokee Avenue to repair the sidewalk, I urged the department to take a second look to see if any of the trees could be spared and the sidewalk repaired and made safe,” Ryu said. “I cannot comment directly on this case given active litigation, but can say that I will continue to seek creative and comprehensive solutions on how to repair our sidewalks without decimating our urban canopy. Especially now, after one of Los Angeles’ hottest summers on record, we need our most effective climate tools – our trees – more than ever.”

Others seeking to save the trees applauded the most recent developments.

“There needs to be more review of these projects,” said Diana Zogran, environmental health committee chair and trees committee advisor for the Neighborhood Council Sustainability Alliance. “We believe there are alternatives used in other cities potentially saving trees while still making the sidewalks ADA compliant.”

Tsai said alternatives include “ramping” of the sidewalks over roots and building sidewalks that go further around tree bases. He cited the cities of Pasadena and San Francisco as pioneers in adopting alternatives to removing street trees.

“We were very happy the city decided to stop the tree removal temporarily while the case moves forward,” Tsai said. “We are asking the city to develop a reasonable policy and develop that policy before they do more tree removals.”