SR-509-000 (6)
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JUl 2 a 1981
Santa Monlca, Californla, July 28, 1981
TO: Mayor and City Councll
FROM: Clty Staff
SUBJECT: Poss~ble Tree Preservatlon
Introductlon
Th1S report transmits a recornmendat~on for Cauncll actlon regard-
lng preservatlon of a tree located on prlvate property at 928 --
Nlneteenth Street, Santa Monlca.
Background
On July 14, 1981 the Councll granted a hardship exeMption for
demolltion of a house and garage at 928 Nlneteenth Street wlth
the st~pulatlon that none of the trees be removed for nlnety
days so costs of elther savlng the northerly tree and rectifYlng
the dlfflcultles or transplantlng lt to a park could be assessed.
Inspectlon of the property lndlcates the existence of four major
trees on site: a large Blackwood Acacia (the northerly tree) ,
two large Eugenlas (hedges) on elther slde of the house and a
very large Plttosporum or V1ctarlan Box tree ln the rear yard.
The latter, some fifty feet In height, lS sltuated close enough
to the slde lot llne to permit lnclusion in eventual redevelop-
ment of the property and should definitely be preserved. The
two Eugenlas present no problem and could be reta1ned unt1l
redevelopment occurs although they would probably not be lncor-
porated 1n any new landscap1ng plan.
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JUL 2 8 1981
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Mayor and City Council
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July 28, 1981
The speciflc tree in questlon is a forty-five foot double-trunked
Blackwood Acacia (Melanoxylan) situated eleven inches from the
north side lot line, nineteen feet back from the front lot line.
The twin trunks have a thlrty-two lnch base and the roots have
broken and raised the adJacent nelghbor's walkway at least
five inches, producing a ridge approximately two inches in height
at one pOlnt. The roots have also cracked and damaged the
adJoining concrete planter boxes and are suspected of having
produced cracks on the interlor of the front apartment's living
room. The tree constantly lltters the walkway, dropping flrst
cotton, then berrles, and the walk must be cleaned daily accord-
ing to the tenant of the front apartment.
The apartment owner, Mary Lucchesl, resides in a middle apartment
and very mu~h w~shes the tree removed. She states one person
had already tripped on the broken walk and would certainly have
fallen and been injured had not her husband been holdlng onto her
arm. Followlng this incldent Mrs. Lucchesl called a repair
service to chop out the tree roots and replace the sidewalk, but
after lnspectlng the slte the contractor refused to undertake
the job, stating that if the roots were cut the tree might fall on
someone or on an automobile and he would not assume the llabllity.
Mrs. Lucchesl, a widow for three years, says she has been unable
to sleep at night due to worry about someone tripping on the
walk or the tree falllng. She has written letters to the owners
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Mayor and C~ty Councll
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July 28, 1981
demanding they do somethlng about the tree in an effort to
reduce her llabil~ty in case of an injury.
Blackwood AcaC1as are known for thelr brittleness and have not
been used as street trees for many years because of thelr pro-
pens1ty to blow over. They are described as short-l1ved, although
lnd~vidual trees are known to have lived for eighty years.
AssuIDlng that the AcaC1a lS about the same age as the house
(1925), 1t is somewhere around fiftY-S1X years old and may be
reaching the beginn~ng of decl~nlng potential.
The Superlntendent of Parks 1ndicates thlS type of tree 1S not a
deslrable park tree due to ltS br1ttleness and l~ttering and the
tree's probable age would not ]ustlfy the cost of relocation
WhlCh 1S estlmated at a m1n~mUM of $2,000. The property owner
lnd1cates that the Tree People are not interested 1n the tree.
Recommendation
In Vlew of the eXlsting problems and the unllkellhood that the
AcaCla can be suitably relocated to a public park or other slte,
1t lS respectfully recommended that the C1ty Council authorlze
~ts removal on condltion that the Eugenlas and Pittosporum be
reta1ned untll such tlme as the property 1S redeveloped and,
further, that the exist~ng curb cut be removed to prevent cars
from parking on the unpaved front of the lot.
Prepared by: James Lunsford
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Features: HabIt, folIage, bark
Use: Shade, street, hedge, wmdbreak, qUlck effects, erOSIon
control.
Although frequently ,,;een a~ a clipped, .,ymmetrical ')trect tree,
Blackwood Acacia i., a better ornamental when it is allowed to
grow to its full shape and glfth. For the'1 It,:> dcn<;e, (lark-green
foliage boils up in roundod patterns, C:l."-tlllg deep s)'arle and
exemplIfymg a qUiet, 'Somber elegance accentuated by the dark-
brown-almost black-bark. The tree i", vulnerable to frost and
"ill not survive in extremely cold areas.
Conformation
Height: 25 to 70 ft. Spread: 20 to 40 ft.
A dense, symmetrical tree with a broad, spreading crown, be-
commg pjTamldal and rou ndheaded wi th age. The bark is deep,
dark- brO\\ln. The dark-green foIlage is composed of simple, al-
ternate leafstalk." or phyllode<;, 2% to 5 in. long and ~ to 1 in.
wide. When young it is compound and feathery. Both types of
foliage may appear on the tree at the same tIme.
Flowers
Creamy-whl te, flufr~' balls in c;hort racerres. They are not ef-
fective if the tree has been sheared. The flowers do not make
a& spectacular a display as those of many other acacias. March-
April.
Fruit
Un<Hghtly purphsn- brow'l seed pod':>) 3 to 5 in. long and 318m.
wide. They pc rSl'5t on the tree untIl the follO\\lng sea'5on.
Root System: Shallow, <5preadmg
Rete of Growth: Rapid
Natural Requ ir~Plents
Climate: Heat tolerant. Vulnerable to frost but wIll stand some
degree of cold.
Soil: Grow,; be'5t in light, well~drained, fertile soil. Tolerates al-
kalI and drought; 'Stands a moderate amount of ..alt.
Expo9ure: Sun or c;hade. Tolerates .,all air, c;eacoac;t conditions,
and .,mog Protect from strong WInds.
Core
Prunmg Head high and shape well \,,'hen tree is young; later, thin
branche'3 to reduce the rI'a "3'3. TIme Summer.
FeedIng: Apply JTI~mure anullaH)' In the fall.
Watering: ProVide very little mOl sture. AVOId surface watering,
for thl<;; ter.c<; to make the root", come to the '3urface.
Pests and L'i'Soa<;e'3: Relatively free from both; hut since acacias
are h'llO\\ n to be host plants for thrIps, "PU\Y With DDT, lmdane,
or walathlOn in spring and fall a'3 a preventIvo mea~ure and re-
peat when needed.
Faults: Pod'3 are unsightly on tree and wake much lItter when
they drop. Branche~ are brittle, but not so brittle as those of
other acaci a'3. The tree is usuall~' short-lived, though indi-
VIdual trees are known to have hved for elghty years.
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Acacia meranoxyron
Aca' cia melanox' ylon
Blackwood Acacia
Australia
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