County to Consider Plan to Strengthen Oak-Removal Law

The Los Angeles County Regional Planning Commission agreed Thursday to study a proposal by a Santa Clarita Valley citizens group to strengthen laws governing removal of oak trees in their area, but the commission decided that any new restrictions should apply throughout the county.

County planner Leonard Erlanger told commissioners that the Santa Clarita Valley Planning Advisory Committee at first wanted to change the oak tree ordinance for the entire county. But because committee members consider the oak trees being uprooted by development in their area “a hallmark resource of a dwindling nature,” they drafted a stronger law applying to that area only, Erlanger said.

“Our concern was to speed up the ordinance in order to save as many trees in our community as possible,” said committee member Mike Lyons.

“In the Santa Clarita Valley, we don’t want to wake up one day and find no oak trees left.”

‘Charm and Beauty’

Committee chairman Alan Wright said the oaks have significant historic, aesthetic and ecological importance to the Santa Clarita Valley, giving it “picturesque charm and beauty.”

Jeannette Sharar, another committee member, said the committee has discussed a stronger oak tree ordinance for about two years. Members stepped up their efforts in March after the planning commission approved the removal of 337 oaks to make way for a housing development in Newhall.

The existing ordinance does not forbid uprooting of “heritage” oaks, centuries-old trees that are at least 36 inches in diameter. The current law also does not specify what kinds of replacement trees a developer must plant or require intense monitoring. As a result, many mature trees are replaced by saplings that die soon after they have been planted, Sharar said.

Monitor for 2 Years

The ordinance drafted by the advisory committee would not permit removal of heritage oaks except in instances of “compelling public need.” It would provide that uprooted trees be replaced only with indigenous oak trees of comparable value, require a two-year monitoring period of replacement oaks by a certified expert and increase the oak tree-felling fee to pay for inspections by experts.

The proposed ordinance also would require developers to plant four new trees for every one removed, instead of the present 2-to-1 ratio.

The commissioners agreed the present ordinance needs strengthening but rejected the committee’s plea to enact an immediate change that would apply only to the Santa Clarita Valley.

Board chairman Lee Strong said he was unsure of the borders of the Santa Clarita Valley. “Where do you draw the boundaries?” he asked. “Do we go all the way up to Gorman?”

Called Countywide Problem

Commissioner Betty Fisher said “This is really a countywide problem. We need to look twice again before we approve removal of any oak trees.”

Lyons said other areas experiencing losses of oak trees are Diamond Bar and the Malibu county planning district, which includes the Agoura-Calabasas area.

While agreeing with other commissioners that the oak tree problem is countywide, Commissioner Clinton Ternstrom said Santa Clarita Valley residents are more concerned about the environment than any other problem except for the impact of rapid growth on traffic and schools. Ternstrom represents the Santa Clarita Valley on the commission.

“The present ordinance really is just a license to cut oak trees down,” he said. “We need a protection ordinance. Developers should have to work around some of the trees.”

Commissioner Sadie Clark said she especially wants all heritage oaks spared.

Commissioners referred the proposal to the planning staff for refinement and said public hearings on the resulting ordinance would be scheduled.