The city of Burbank Thursday began cutting down nearly 40 Aleppo Pine trees on the 1400 block of North Niagara Street amid opposition from area residents.
In March, an Aleppo Pine tree fell onto a home, causing damage. The city had announced a plan to cut down some of these trees to protect the public health and safety, as well as to prevent damage to homes.
Later that month, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Joel Loften agreed with the city that an emergency exemption allowed for the removal of 38 Aleppo Pine trees. Burbank city officials said all those trees have been carefully studied and deemed an “imminent risk,” as well as by outside arboriculture experts.
Removal of those trees began Thursday morning.
“Burbank is proud to be recognized as a Tree City USA for nearly 50 years and is committed to responsibly managing all 33,000 city trees. Each tree that is removed will be replaced with a 48-gallon tree that is both more robust and better suited to their parkway environment, benefiting the community in numerous ways, from cleaner air to noise reduction,” according to a statement from the city.
“The city is currently undertaking an environmental review of a broader Aleppo Pine tree removal and replacement project, while it continues to work separately on a citywide reforestation plan, to ensure the sustainability, health and beauty of its urban forest,” the statement continued.
Last year, Burbank conducted a similar effort to cut down about 77 of these trees, prompting some residents on Niagara Street to conduct a grassroots effort to save them.
The residents started a petition to save the trees, which they say weren’t maintained by the city.
The city had said the trees had reached “maturity and weakened by drought,” and needed to be replaced. Residents believed the city was more concerned with compensating homeowners for possible property or vehicle damage.