Reports Say Oak Should Be Removed

Another aging oak tree in Libbey Park may get the ax if the City Council agrees with the conclusion of three arborists who believe it should come down.

The tree, near the park’s restrooms and a bike path, should be removed, according to experts’ reports.

The reports also recommend several major limbs of two other oaks be removed for safety reasons, including an oak spared last February when two adjacent oaks were removed amid protests.

Tonight the council will consider whether to remove the tree near the restroom, said Dan Singer, interim city manager. If the panel votes to remove the tree, Singer said, three mature oaks will be planted in its place. The city’s tree committee, made up of residents concerned about the town’s oaks, concurred with the reports, Singer said.

The City Council is set to meet at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall, 401 S. Ventura St.

The tree should be removed before spring, Singer said, because transplanted oaks have a better survival rate if they are moved in winter.

The fate of the other two trees will be considered later in the year, after the Parks and Recreation Commission and the public have a chance to review the information, he said.

The council may decide to try to save the trees rather than prune or remove them, Singer added.