COSTA MESA

Some Freedom Homes residents have asked the city to help them deal with pesky eucalyptus trees that are blocking their views of the ocean and Canyon Park. The residents met with city staff last week and will appear before the City Council on Monday. Homeowner James Keller raised concerns about the trees last fall and asked the Parks Commission to remove some eucalyptus from the park. The commission denied his request, a decision Keller promptly appealed.

While Keller still can see the ocean, other residents have lost their views of it. One of those residents, Pat Dolan, was involved in discussions on how to develop the park 12 years ago. Dolan, then president of Save the Canyon, said homeowners at that time had anticipated this very problem. “We were very, very strongly and adamantly assured that [the trees] would do nothing to block our views,” Dolan said.