Seven Trees to be Removed on Carrillo Street

Yes it's apart of the big job. I really hope people don't go nuts when they see this happening without being informed

What kind of trees, City of Santa Barbara, will you remove and what kind of trees will you replace them with --- and how large (or small) will the new trees be? Whether this is an "improvement" or not remains to be seen --- the City and its transportation department has a heavy burden to show what they are doing is an "improvement" in the usual meaning of the word and not the bureaucratic meaning. ("We/public works did it so it is an improvement.")

City website maintains a list of approved street trees, as well as specimens designated for each block on Good lists to use when planting your own backyard trees - you can find city likes trees with well-behaved root systems so they do not over-grow their locations causing future problems for sidewalk and pavements. Plus drought tolerant, not too messy, not a fire hazard and appropriate for this climate zone. Lots of variables.

This seems a reasonable choice. Traffic at that intersection has been a problem for a long time. The trees are to be replaced with like trees (Jacaranda I think). But they are planning to remove really old Jacranda on Mission for the purpose of converting the street/sidewalk into a bicycle lane. This will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and will be for the sole purpose, it seems, of allowing bicyclists to remain on their seats when transitioning from Mission to Modoc. This to avoid a 100 yards or so of walking their bikes. This will also eliminate parking on Mission and will comingle pedestrians with cyclists it seems.

How about just watering the trees that are there. Maybe, a little tree trimming too.....

Almost a 1/2 billion dollar annual budget and this is what we get we need a politicians reform and we need a city of SB budget reform

Plant Eugenia's, it should only cost a few hundred thousand dollars!

Sidewalks are being uprooted. It's a tripping hazard

Trees do have a lifespan, especially when their roots are constricted by adjacent paving. I'm okay with this plan.

Pepper trees and queen palms were/are on that list and they're a pain. Be sure you read up on specific trees you'e allowed to plant if <you> are planting street trees when the County only recommends not pays. The list contains bad actors. Pepper trees constantly litter, send out invasive runners and draw bees. Many people are allergic to it. The Q. Palm doesn't offer much shade, requires a ladder to trim, and the fronds become fire brands and start fires ahead of a fire. The golden something, & jacancranda are pretty, on the list and extremely messy, too.

It is encouraging to see the City reaching out to inform the public. That said, it would be even better if the City consulted with the landowners and tenants who will be impacted by the chosen trees. Many trees on the City streets are poor choices because they require regular maintenance, which the City does not provide. When the entire burden is placed on residents, who may object to the tree due to constant litter, excessive shade, viewshed interference, or other reasons, "mysterious" tree death or disappearance is explained.

re: Lighting -- Pittsburgh just is passing a Dark-Skies ordinance. Maybe we should be thinking about that, keep our star-gazing abilities. Even 15 years ago there were much darker skies to appreciate here. Now the night-lights haze is remarkable.

How about another miserable excuse for a tree the Bradford pear.

Yes, we need more bike lanes, but not at the expense of sidewalks or tree space. SB has the perfect climate to be a bike paradise... but we need to invest in taking that space back from CARS to give it over to bikes. Not for a moment should we consider taking sidewalk or tree space so our bloated traffic problems will get worse and worst. [Plan with cars in mind, cars are what you'll get.]

I, for one, would be biking all over town with my family if it were even remotely safe to do so. I applaud the bicyclists that are out there, but until my kids are way older it's just not a safe option.

A key city priority should be making major changes to our traffic patterns to incentivize smart, safe, eco-friendly biking. We'd all be happier and healthier (and save time!) biking around if we re-organized the priority. E-bikes help too for older, less healthy folks, or folks who just hate the hills.

As it stands now, Santa Barbara doesn't just have a "car first" planning orientation... it's essentially a "car only" thought process. Folks pretend otherwise, but imagine your bike ride from key places you go every day. You'll realize that you could easily bike it if the infrastructure were there to make it comfortable and safe... but it's not, so you don't. Let's fix it!

yes i know...kinda off topic, sorry for hijacking your post :)

Hope they don't plant bottle brush eucalyptus like they have on our street, drip sap in the spring, and branches break off and fall at random. About the only benefit I see is the bees and hummingbirds use them when the sap is running.

So many of the street trees are ruinous to sidewalks and gutters and end up costing thousands in sidewalk repairs or much more in the related potential slip-and-fall liability. Jacarandas, Liquidamber, Ficus, and many other approved trees cause huge root problems.