The Fight Over a Redwood
On Montclair Terrace, there is a fight brewing that you may have heard about. Just a few feet from Lombard Street is a tree that some of the Russian Hill neighbors want to honor. In fact, they want to go so far as to have the city declare that tree a landmark.
So what do people do when they want something done? They get to work and form a group. They also created a petition that has generated quite a bit of press and even more signatures.
Help Landmark this Redwood
According to their group, which they’ve named Help Landmark This Redwood, “This healthy, majestic Redwood […] was planted in memory of the homeowner’s late husband and two children who were tragically lost in an airplane accident.”
It is important to note that the city does have a program that specifically landmarks the best trees that have storied histories or that mean something significant to the area. The owner of 4 Montclair Terrace and the tree’s “owner,” Mari Jaye, says that the tree has been in place since 1962. She planted it to commemorate the fact that her late husband proposed to her in Muir Woods. Since then, it has grown to a towers 85 feet and has appeared in many publications around the world, including a vintage postcard.
Unfortunately for the team, an evaluation found that while the tree has a great story, “it is uncommon to find any tree of this size on a private residential lot.”
Unsafe Tree?
In a report from the San Francisco Examiner, many of the people who want the tree cut down are afraid that the tree will continue to grow and will become unsafe for the homes. Others are concerned that it will ruin their views.
One neighbor had to fight back tears as she testified to the Urban Forestry Council. She was worried that the tree’s branches will fall on her children: “The branches are huge and if the branches were to fall on my child is that worth it? Is that worth anything?” Bioski said.
While that might seem a little outlandish, a woman was paralyzed by a falling branch in Washington Square Park last November.
There are certainly a lot of sides to this argument. It will be difficult for anyone to cut the tree down or even trim the limbs if San Francisco does decide to declare the tree a landmark. However, that could also mean that the tree would get the highest quality of care.
For now, the final hearing happened on March 24, so there is an opportunity for everyone to get their opinions on this matter known to the public.