By Jerry Green

Second in a series

Re “Why Is the City Council Not Interested in Ficus Trees’ Issue”

[Editor’s Note: In the first installment, Carlson Park Coalition leader Jerry Green expressed the frustration he and neighbors feel over City Hall’s perceived slowness in responding to a ficus trees problem. Today he explains why the coalition was formed.]

Our group was formed to protest the damage done to our neighborhood by the city's ficus trees and to state our feeling that the city's response to our pleas over a number of years now have been met with a blind eye and a deaf ear. 

I am part of the Carlson Park Coalition, and I addressed the mayor and the City Council on Nov. 10.
 
The ficus trees were planted by the city, or contractors hired by the city, many years ago. They are on city property.  Their roots lift up our sidewalks, making the walks unsafe for older pedestrians.  The city's response has been to grind down the uneven parts and fill in the gaps with asphalt.  This is a band-aid-like fix to a cancerous problem. Differences in elevation still exist. The tree roots quickly resume their dangerous uplifting of the sidewalks.  I have an unsafe five-inch elevation difference in the sidewalk in front of my house.
 
In addition to the sidewalk problems, most homeowners in our neighborhood have experienced severe and costly plumbing problems because of ficus tree root damage. 

As costs for this type of damage escalate and the frequency of occurrence in our neighborhood rises, the perception is that the city occasionally will trim their trees and do nothing more. 

Isn’t This an Answer?

The city's response has been to study the problem, with the last being the STMP that was initiated in 2002.  This produced no help whatsoever for the affected homeowners.

Our perception is that the city believes that the problem is being addressed as long as there is a study being done and a website where upcoming events are posted.
 
It is time for the city to become more responsible for the damage that its trees do, to become more responsive to the needs of the affected homeowners. 

Almost every family in our neighborhood has its own horror story about tree damage and large plumbing bills.  This has become part of our neighborhood lore. 

The problem is receiving a lot of notoriety, the latest instance being a Channel 4 segment on the 11 o'clock news about neglected, damaged sidewalks in Los Angeles and the injuries and litigation that  have resulted from such conditions.
 
Even the maintenance crew of Culver City has told me that these trees should be confined to the jungle, that they have no place in more civilized environs.  Our requests are quite simple. They involve having residents included in meetings with contractors; action plans with dates to remediate this problem, more diligent management  of sidewalk repairs, financial assistance for homeowners with large damage bills, and to inform residents of all matters relating to this problem in a timely manner. 

We still have hopes that the City Council will step up to the plate and provide lasting solutions to this problem. 

I am certain the City Council members will show us that our hopes and confidence have not been misplaced.

(To be continued)

Mr. Green may be contacted at jerrygreenmessage@gmail.com