Help Us Save the Iconic Ocean Beach Palm Trees

On October 14, a few individual neighbors in Ocean Beach were notified that the historic 100 year old palm trees in front of their houses would be chopped down by the City of San Diego due to an emergency.

 

The “emergency” the City said, was due to the FAA claiming that the height of the trees interfered with radar of the airplanes. By designating this as an emergency, the City tried to move quickly ahead without involving the community. They chose not to notify the entire neighborhood. They chose not to have public meetings. They chose not to involve their constituents. They tried to do this behind our backs, which begs the question: What are they trying to hide?

 

One woman, Tracy Van De Walker, said No! She wanted more information before she would let them cut down palms that give Newport Ave its distinct look. When the crews showed up she ran between trees so the crews couldn’t cut. The workers got to one palm, but not to the 20 trees they had planned to cut down.

 

Then the City’s forester showed up and said he was coming back on October 21 with the police so the palms could be cut down. Tracy then sent out the word to her neighbors. Fifty to sixty people, including myself, showed up to stop the cutting. There was a standoff with the police for 3 hours, until cooler heads prevailed. The City called back their workers, though they promised to return.

 

An attorney was then retained to send out a cease and desist letter and get a temporary restraining order to stop the cutting down of these 100 year old historic palms.

 

The goal is to get more information and justification for cutting down the palms. Why was this an emergency? Palms grow very slowly. Is it necessary at all? Where is the data or the studies? Why won't the City share it? A number of pilots have said there is no possible way the trees are tall enough to interfere with the navigation. Are there alternatives? Or is there any truth to the rumor that the City may want the palms down so a) they don’t have the cost of maintaining them and b) because the Federal Govt pays the City extremely well to take the palms down?

 

The community has the right to have input before they cut down these palms that create Newport Ave. Yet the City refuses to do this. Our own City Councilperson, Jen Campbell, has done nothing to speak with the residents of Ocean Beach about this matter.

 

We are hoping to raise at least $20,000 to pay the attorney’s necessary to help enforce the rights that we are entitled to as taxpayers. The right to have our elected officials be transparent in their decision making. The right to have input into decisions that affect the community. The right to be heard.

 

Thank you for your help.