Parks & Rec Community Meeting
updated: Jan 23, 2013, 9:54 AM

Source: Parks & Recreation

URBAN FOREST COMMUNITY MEETINGS

The Parks and Recreation Department is hosting two community meetings in January to discuss the urban forest management plan. The meetings will discuss the urban forest and seek input on the role trees play in Santa Barbara's community vitality. Development of the Urban Forest Management Plan is a key Parks and Recreation project for 2013. The Plan will address long-range objectives such as tree management, canopy cover, aesthetic and environmental benefits of trees, infrastructure constraints, community education and outreach programs, habitat, species diversity and program funding, among others.

Community meetings are scheduled for Thursday, January 24, 2013 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Central Library Faulkner Gallery and Saturday, January 26, 2013 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at the Louise Lowry Davis Center.

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 366543	2013-01-23 10:01 AM
Maybe Edhatters can attend to demand who's cleaning up the mess left behind by druggies and immigrants at the County beaches and why the ranger dwellings are left empty and unstaffed.
COMMENT 366550	2013-01-23 10:15 AM
Uh, I think the urban forest is part of the City's plan so I don't know if they can address County issues. If I attend I will ask them how they address the impacts of trees planted on the City's easement- who is liable if their roots crack sewer lines, etc. My neighbor paid $7000 to fix sewer damage from a City tree that he's not allowed to touch to trim or manage in any way. And if they have a replacement plan for trees that are non-native like the sap-dripping bottle brush trees in my neighborhood.
COMMENT 366556	2013-01-23 10:34 AM
EXCELLENT POINTS! Our neighborhood is covered with tree litter 12 months a year due to non-native, city planted trees. Not only do they cause our creeks to clog with non-native tree litter, but as forementioned, the sewer pipes from homes are destroyed by CITY TREES, yet they insist the homeowners pay the full cost of sewer replacement lines... They will get an ear full from me! I fill one large green waste can a week with tree litter. What's interesting is that if you look at archived pictures of Santa Barbara, THERE WERE NO TREES except in the creeks with sycamores...!
COMMENT 366559	2013-01-23 10:39 AM
It's also interesting that in archived pictures THERE WERE FEW HOUSES and LESS PEOPLE! Barring a major disaster we are not going back there, no matter what. Who would want to live in a city without trees?
COMMENT 366562	2013-01-23 10:54 AM
I don't mind sweeping up tree litter. The trade off is beautiful, tree-lined streets. However to avoid the litter in the creeks, everyone would have be diligent and that is just never going to happen. As far as homeowners being responsible for sewer maintenance and repair due to damage caused by city-owned trees.... ludicrous. We too have had neighbors who were socked with an outrageous bill to tear up concrete to fix lines. We are paying for the ignorance of city planners from 50-70 years ago.
PATRICK	2013-01-23 11:01 AM
I like trees in general and think that the treeless streets around SB are less desirable than the tree-lined streets. The only complaint I have is the City's choice for some of the trees. Our African Lace Bark trees have large seed pods that dent the cars when they drop, and they have shallow/invasive roots (in 10 years, our sewer lateral has clogged three times, the sidewalk has been replaced twice and the curb/gutter has been replaced once and is already displaced a few inches and in need of replacement again). If something is going to drop on the roof of my car, I'd prefer it be fruit rather than ornamental seed pods.
COMMENT 366620	2013-01-23 01:24 PM
what a waste of time - tell the park rangers to pick up trash
COMMENT 366654	2013-01-23 02:21 PM
Look at historica photos of SB...there are NO trees.
SCEPTIC	2013-01-23 02:46 PM
562: We're also paying for the ignorance of our current city council members, who make essentially wild guesses about whether the roots from trees in front yards will puncture the owners' or neighbors' gas lines or whether their branches will break during a storm and crush a neighbor's roof. This is appropriate in a republican system of government with officials who are acknowledged experts in their field, not in a democracy, with a city council composed of ordinary citizens with no knowledge or training beyond the skills required to market themselves as candidates.

22% of comments on this page were made by Edhat Community Members.