Residents Lament Ficus Tree Removals In Beverly Hills

BEVERLY HILLS, CA — As the city of Beverly Hills removes ficus trees that they say wreak havoc on Robertson Boulevard's sidewalks, some residents are making last ditch efforts to preserve the trees that have been around for decades.

Robertson Boulevard is lined with around 100 ficus trees, according to a city staff report from 2018. Given the proximity of the trees to buildings, their size and root systems have already posed a problem for the busy street, according to Deputy City Manager Keith Sterling. The city will cut down 87 ficus trees in the process of the project, which accounts for less than 1 percent of the city's trees, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Although the city plans to replace them with Mexican Fan Palms and Crape Myrtle trees, the loss has hit Beverly Hills resident and business owner Wendy Klenk particularly hard.

"For some reason I'm so emotional about this and I don't know why," Klenk said during her tearful public comment at the city's Feb. 7 study session. "These are healthy trees that have been here almost 100 years and they're part of the fabric of this community. "

For many, she said, the trees are an essential part of the community. Klenk said many local business owners share her concerns.

"We just want to save the trees," Klenk said. "You can't uncut a tree... I just want to find a solution."

An attorney in the area told the Los Angeles Times the area looked like a "graveyard" now with some trees already cut down.

Similar sidewalk improvement projects in other cities, including Long Beach and Los Angeles, have become battlegrounds for conservationists and city staff. Advocates in Los Angeles recently halted the city's plans to cut down 13,000 trees for sidewalk repairs, according to the LA Daily News.

Beverly Hills city staff and some other community members say the ficus trees pose a significant safety threat.

"Robertson Boulevard is one of the City’s major commercial corridors with a large number of thriving businesses and relatively high pedestrian traffic. The existing sidewalk has a high frequency of repair needs due to the trees located adjacent to the sidewalk. In addition, we’ve received several trip and fall claims in the last few years," Sterling said.

At the Feb. 7 study session, Mayor Lili Bosse assured her the city council would discuss the issue further with Klenk and other concerned residents.

Some other community members, like property manager David Mirharooni, have shown continued support for the tree replacement in the interest of pedestrian safety and preventing building damage.

“The North 100 block of Robertson Blvd is having identity issues given that the streetscape is tired, lacks uniformity, but is more importantly dangerous and has caused damage to people and property. The existing Ficus trees have been a huge concern as they have caused substantial sidewalk damage on both sides of Robertson as well as damage to the façade, foundation, and plumbing to buildings on the street,” Mirharooni wrote in a letter to city staff in 2019, at which point the city had already cut down some trees.

The city warned nearby residents and businesses in advance of the trees' removal on multiple occasions. Project notices delivered to businesses and residents outline construction that was scheduled to begin in fall 2022 on both sides of Robertson Boulevard from northern to southern city limits.

Construction is scheduled between mid-January and mid-March between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Sunday through Friday with two to four tree removals each day. Businesses directly impacted will be noticed at least three days before a nearby tree removal, according to the city.

The sidewalk improvement project will also install lighting and outlets for holiday decorations, irrigation for new trees and stormwater capture devices, Sterling said.

"When it comes to a City that celebrates and nurtures its urban forest, Beverly Hills is at the top of the list. We are always mindful and thoughtful about tree replacement whenever a landscape is changed and, in this case, it has now become a safety issue," Sterling said.