Lucky 777
By Pat Fish
Last year I posted a lovely photo of the West Mission street jacaranda trees on EdHat, and encouraged people to write to the City and ask that they not be destroyed. They had been posted for removal, and soon the signs were taken down and I thought it was an example of citizen justice.
Now, this week they were all chopped off to stumps. In bird nesting season, in blooming season, a sad example of the government having a plan and sticking to it.
Street trees are a big part of what makes our city beautiful, and so many are suffering through drought times, yet the City has no doubt some bicycle lane agenda that involves widening the street there.
One mature, healthy street tree removed is one too many. SBRES said it: YEARS.
I agree that it’s a bit jarring – it’s very bright there now, as opposed to shady with the trees. However, as someone who drives that route frequently (while commuting), AND as a parent – I do approve of the removal.
I have one child who attended La Cumbre, and another one who will in the future. The Modoc/ Mission intersection, with multiple trees and telephone poles and shade, makes it difficult to see pedestrians at times – particularly children trying to cross the street to go to school.
This section of sidewalk will also be widened to allow for a short combined bike path/ sidewalk – again, for public safety. I think this is necessary.
Check the link posted by EASTBEACH. Public safety.
Right on COASTWATCH
I’m okay with this and it is no surprise. The City went through a public outreach program about these changes to W. Mission Street. I am a tree lover, but I understand that the right trees are needed in the right place. Trees grow, and from what I recall, they will be planting more new trees than they are removing.
Having dealt with the city arborist over invasive trees on our street for years, I can say that they would not have cut them down unless there was something seriously wrong. I can’t even get the city to cut a branch that hangs in my yard, so these trees must have been causing a problem. Just chill everyone. More trees will be planted.
People upset with this should understand that the removal of these trees and several more at Micheltorena near San Andres are part of the bike lane project supported by the district representative Oscar. He has sold out to the bike lobby. These trees are not being removed because they were messy or old or creating destruction but only to facilitate a bike access lane which VERY FEW riders will use. The people who walk on the new lane between San Andres and San Pascual will have to share their safe passage with bicycle riders who are notoriously unfriendly with pedestrians and right of way laws. These pedestrians are local residents who are being harmed. The next step is to eliminate street parking in the Westside. This parking is critical to the occupants of this crowded community and to people who need parking for work vehicles especially. All of this is serious cause to get Oscar out of the city council. He has forsaken his community.
WORST non- native tree in the City… Not only do they litter, first tons of sticky-stain producing flowers, then it’s tiny leaves and then sticks. Where does it all go? In our drainage systems and creeks that were never exposed to this “natural tree litter” until the City planted these throughout the neighborhoods.
Responding to your hostility: I know that very few bike riders use these routes by empirical observation. I go by these areas daily. When I see bicycle riders they are generally groups of recreational users out for a jaunt. Fine, but the locals need these safe spaces for their life activities. There is no “Amsterdam jam” of commuters in our community. These routes will never be a significant part of a “bike to work” effort. I would guess that you are a rider, as I have been over the years. But please prioritize your hobby with the needs of working people. They were abused by this process. These bicycle lanes are the equivalent of the freeways that destroyed neighborhoods until stopped in the last few decades.
Hello, I’d like to remind you that I am one of 7 council members who voted for the new Westside Community Paseos project. The trees are being removed in preparation for the construction of the Westside Community Paseos project. This project will create new bike routes through the Westside neighborhood connecting to Sola Street.
The tree removals were approved by the Street Tree Advisory Committee and the Parks and Rec Commission. Replacement trees are planned as part of the project. Public meetings were held last year. Last week, street posters were placed as a reminder of the upcoming tree removals in Spanish and English.
Project web site:
https://www.santabarbaraca.gov/gov/depts/pw/engineering/publicimprovements/westsidecommunitypaseos/default.asp
6:37pm – yeah, there’s no way to safely mix pedestrians, especially with strollers, and cyclists. That is just absurd they’d do that. The spandex warriors have a lot of sway it seems. They want open roads with no rules for them. It’s sad how hard the City is bending to them. Every time I drive along the Cota “bike way,” I’m blown away by how little use it gets, all at the expense of the local residents.
Hi @558, please explain your comment about Oscar “selling out” to the “bike lobby”. Oh wait! You mean the rest of the population of santa barbara that rides bikes? Yeah we certainly asked for better and safer, bike lanes. So if constituents are lobbyists, then we are all guilty, right? Also, you state that “very few riders will use it”. Again, how do you know this? You see, being a local since 1982, i can certainly say that the cycling community in SB is HUGE. Now you go on to say that people walk on the new lane………er…wait. Is there a sidewalk? because if there is, those folks should be walking there, not in the lane made for cycles. When people that think they are better than everyone else, and start walking in a bike path, you create a HUGE safety issue. Bikes are then forced out of the lane into a car lane or on the sidewalk where they certainly aren’t supposed to be. See, pedestrians have a sidewalk, bikes have a bike lane. Nifty how that works! It’s not a “mixed use” path so stop labeling a path created for cyclists as a mixed use path. You just create more problems with that non sense.
@264, stop with the stupid lobbying comments. there is no bike lobby. there are thousands of cyclists in town that vote though….
and guess what. We also pay taxes and every time the city puts in a new bike lane, stupid people think it’s for them to walk on, which again, forces bikes out of the lane and into traffic and or the sidewalk which is where the peds should be in the first place. this is why i have a marine airhorn affixed to my mountain bike….and i use it regularly.
@626 gotta jump on this one: “Responding to your hostility: ”
so i’m hostile because i just called you out? um ok….snowflake.
“I know that very few bike riders use these routes by empirical observation. I go by these areas daily”
um…ok. so do i, and guess what….i’m on a bike in that lane. are you? nope. just some creepy mfr watching people exercise.
” When I see bicycle riders they are generally groups of recreational users out for a jaunt.”
you know this and have interviewed each of them to find out what time they left, where they departed from, where they are going to and how long they have been riding that day? no? didn’t think so.
“Fine, but the locals need these safe spaces for their life activities.”
um….and people on bikes aren’t locals? that’s just dumb. ive been a local since 1982, how about you?
“There is no “Amsterdam jam” of commuters in our community. ”
really? there sure is! it’s called too many cars on very narrow streets with no room for someone to commute on a bike safely
“These routes will never be a significant part of a “bike to work” effort. I would guess that you are a rider, as I have been over the years.”
and you’re the King of all riders and dictate where we ride and which paths we take? you really should think about your entire post dude. You clearly know jack about this. This is part of the plan that connects to Sola bike lanes, which connect to bath and Castillo bike lanes. but yeah…it’s not going to be used.
HERE IS MY FAVORITE LINE:
” I would guess that you are a rider, as I have been over the years. But please prioritize your hobby with the needs of working people. ”
So you must be so self absorbed that you assume everyone drives in town. You assume way too much in your tiny narrow world.
I as well as MANY others bike to work. I also bike to the grocery store. I own two vehicles, and chose to not add to more congestion on our streets. The owner of the company i work for, 75 years old, lives in Ellwood and rides his bike in daily. There are also Ebike rentals all over the place and ebikes that are owned, also all over the place in SB. I ride the bike paths. So do others. I ride with several people every morning, all of us have differernt jobs in different locations in the county, but apparently, YOUR need to get to work trumps everyone elses need to get to work or school or exercise. So in short, keep whining to yourself, no one cares.
“They were abused by this process. These bicycle lanes are the equivalent of the freeways that destroyed neighborhoods until stopped in the last few decades.”
this doesn’t even make sense, so i’ll just laugh at you for this weird comment