Neighborhood Blighted by . . . Trees?

However brilliant their purple blossoms may be, jacarandas are just too messy, say residents who have persuaded Yorba Linda to chop down 25 of the flowering trees in their neighborhood.

Over the objections of some city officials, the Yorba Linda City Council voted 3-1 on Tuesday to remove the trees around the intersection of Rose Drive and Bastanchury Road.

Residents told the council that the leaves and sticky flowers litter their patios and choke spa filters.

“Jacarandas are beautiful,” said resident Larry Mansfield. “But they don’t belong near homes. Their leaves and flowers make a mess on our yards and patios that’s impossible to clean.”

Of 25 homeowners in the area, 24 signed a petition calling for the trees, with trunks up to 2 feet in diameter, to be removed. Home builders planted the jacarandas along both streets in 1978 to meet a city development requirement.

Public Works Director Roy Stephenson recommended against removing the trees, saying the step could set a bad precedent. Approval could lead to future requests from residents to uproot other trees, he said.

“We get complaints like this all the time,” he said. “It is a continuous problem with big trees in the city.”

The city estimates it would cost nearly $7,000 to remove and replace the trees.

“But cost is not the issue here,” said Stephenson. “It’s a matter of policy.”

Neighbors and city staff members also disagreed over what kind of trees should be planted to replace the jacarandas. While officials recommended crape myrtles, residents want trees that don’t shed leaves every winter.

“Those are deciduous trees, just like the jacarandas,” said Joyce Silveri. “If we replace them with evergreen trees . . . we wouldn’t have the same problem 20 years from now.”

Councilman John M. Gullixson cited public safety as a reason for removing the trees. People could slip and fall on flowers that turn mushy once they fall, he said.

Mayor Ken Ryan voted against removing the trees.

“I think it’s a mistake to take out mature trees,” he said. “They are beautiful, and it would be unfortunate to see them removed.”

The city and the homeowners will lose the environmental benefits that mature trees provide, said Andy Lipkis, president of Los Angeles-based Tree People, an environmental organization.

“It’s going to take many, many years to replace these trees and reestablish shade in the area,” he said. “Jacarandas also have a wide canopy, and one or two little trees won’t replace [them].”

The city should have had the foresight to plant the jacarandas in the appropriate places to begin with, said Lipkis.

“Jacarandas can be messy,” he acknowledged. “But you have to choose the right tree for the right place. A tree should not be treated like a piece of equipment that can be replaced.”

At least one Yorba Linda resident at the meeting also was sympathetic to the trees. Pat Nelson of Brooklyn Avenue said she will be sad to see them go.

“I hope they can bring them over to our neighborhood,” Nelson said. “Those are beautiful trees.”