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| Palm Canyon - Balboa Park |
Did anybody see this letter to the Union Tribune the other day?
San Diego needs shade trees, not palm trees
In many cities in the country, they are going to great expense to remove utility poles because they are not attractive. In San Diego, we have an enormous number of equally unattractive palm trees.
They are similar to 30- to 40-foot utility poles with a small amount of green foliage on top. These palm trees cast little shade, allowing the pavement below to be hot to the touch. Not good on an 85-degree day.
Contrast this with streets that have shade trees. Certainly this has been recognized as an environmental and fiscal problem. It takes very large and expensive cranes to hoist tree trimmers to prune these ugly giants. I was distressed to learn that planting these ugly monsters is still allowed. The nearly finished condo on the corner of Maple and 5th has two newly planted palm trees.
When will we stop allowing new palm trees and start removing most of the present palm trees?
Jack Machun - Bankers Hill
Hey Jack. As a San Diego native and ardent palm tree lover, I suggest you move your butt out of Bankers Hill and back to whatever sorry ass briar patch you hail from, lickety split. These "ugly giants" define our native landscape and you would be surprised to know that they have legions of hometown fans. You must hate Balboa Park and the zoo too, they have some of the most wonderful specimens of butia, bismarckia and reclinata palms one could find anywhere in the world. Or Mission Bay with its extraordinary jubea palms in front of the Bahia. You are obviously not a local. Probably don't know who Johnny Downs was, or Dick Dale, or Enzo Hernandez either, for that matter. Doesn't sound like you are the right fit for your tony neighborhood. I say we pass the hat and get you and your burned toes a plane ticket back to Paducah as fast as you can waddle home. Leave San Diego to those that appreciate it!
Robert Sommers - Fallbrook
2 comments:
Funny thing is when we had places in laguna all trees could be removed if blocked your view except the palm
In defense of the Palm Haters, in Florida, they are now placing palms along roads and highways. In itself that's not a totally bad thing BUT, when they put them in a zig-zag pattern only 3 feet apart it begs the question as to not only WHY, but also WHO is getting these contracts? If it was just in one area or town, that would be one thing, but in this case, it is happening ALL OVER FLORIDA! At exit ramps, in the median, anywhere they can place them. If there is a 50-foot section of free dirt, there will be 15 - 20 palm trees planted there, and not only is it excessive but they are the ugly [palms that grow everywhere in Florida like weeds. God alone knows how much it is costing the taxpayers to "Beautify" the roads with these weed-like palm trees, but it begs the question as to whether someone in government is also getting paid off. This is NOT chump change! This is a 4 man crew planting numerous trees per day, with 4 braces per tree until they're strong enough to stand on their own, then someone has to go out and remove the braces. All of that is not even including the cost to buy the palm trees. As you can tell, this subject absolutely drives me nuts! At least in California, you've got the Oleanders in the median which should help slow down a car, but a palm tree is not as forgiving.
Oh, now I feel much better! Have a great day!
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