District looks into removing newly planted trees

The Laguna Beach Unified School District board is considering removing some or all of the 80 trees planted around the Laguna Beach High School baseball field after neighbors complained about potential view blockages and fire hazards.

The board directed district staff Tuesday to research costs to remove the trees planted on 60,000 square feet of slope along St. Ann’s Drive and Wilson Street. Crews planted five types of trees last fall but residents have called for their removal.

The neighbors are most concerned about 10 lemon-scented gum trees, a kind of eucalyptus, and 10 coast live oaks, for their potential heights. Lemon-scented gums can reach 90 feet tall while the oaks can rise 70 feet, according to a district staff report.

Residents are also leery of 18 red flowering gum trees because they claim flowers stain the sidewalks and the trees also drop sap.

A majority of the oaks and lemon-scented gums are planted at or above the center-line of the slope, which irked some residents.

“The [lemon-scented gums] behind home plate are right in our only view we have,” said St. Ann’s Drive resident Stephen Crawford. “Many people up the hill, their view is going to be affected by the trees.”

The district also planted 30 toyons and 12 dragon trees.

Toyons can grow to 15 feet while dragon trees can reach 20 feet, according to the 2012 Sunset Western Garden Book.

The district hired landscape architect Ann Christoph last August to decide which plants to place on the slope after the district cleared out dead brush and trees.

In October the board agreed to pay Landscape Support Services Inc. $122,000 to replant the slope and all trees were in the earth by mid-December.

Residents shared their concerns about the new landscaping at a joint City Council-school board meeting in January and again at a study session regarding the Laguna Beach High baseball field in early March.

Trustee Dee Perry heeded residents’ worries.

“I’m not feeling very good about the trees,” Perry said. “I’d like to see them gone. Not the toyons.”

Facilities Director Jeff Dixon will research costs to remove some or all of the trees and replace with groundcover or shrubs.

Drought-tolerant plants would be a start, resident Cathi Sassin said.

“We need to work with the Southern California environment,” Sassin said. “[Eucalyptus] are not good trees to have in a drought or any fire season. I feel like the school district should be a leader in these issues. Here is an opportunity to be an example for the whole community and use California natives only.”