Buena Park : Destructive Trees to Be Removed and Replaced

Beginning in November, the city will wage war against an enemy that has left cracked curbs, crumbled sidewalks and clogged gutters.

It is trees, especially shallow-rooted ones like the lavender-flowering jacaranda, the exotic carob and the sturdy sycamore. About 300 are earmarked for removal in a special city program that will replace them with deep-rooted varieties that won’t crack concrete, a problem that now costs the city $90,000 annually in repairs.

Most damage-causing trees are 20 to 30 years old and are in an area east of Beach Boulevard, south of the Artesia Freeway and north of Tustin Avenue, said Loren Tuthill, public works improvement design manager. The project will involve three stages: removal, street repairs and tree replacements, all of which will take until mid-June to complete, Tuthill said.

According to Tuthill, the program will not cost homeowners or businesses in the target area. The city is in the process of taking bids for tree removal and sidewalk repair, he said.

The Public Works Department has a list of “safe,” deep-rooted trees--including the fern pine, crepe myrtle and Australian willow--that residents may obtain by calling (714) 521-9900, Ext. 259.