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Get Vocal | 7 Major Threats
to the Heritage Orchard Today.
Preservation Impact Map - ACT NOW | July 2024
July 2024 - Lands removed, shrinking space, trees destroyed, tree sites unplanted, historical integrity and context as a "productive historic working orchard" in question.
That's for starters.
Despite partial irrigation, partial planting of replacement trees and an inadequate contract with the Museum for general maintenance - the Heritage Orchard is under immediate threat to change, alter and irreplaceably DAMAGE this historic resource.
Above is current Google map showing the damage due to years of neglect and underfunding and staffing at the City, AND the areas currently in construction, constructed and no mitigation, and planned changes and development on the property.
The Red highlight the direct, indirect and cumulative impact areas and show specifically where land, trees and tree sites have either been removed OR are being actively reviewed for permits to remove.
1. LAYC Office Conversion - in active construction June 2024 Loss of land, live heritage apricot trees, loss of public use for City and private patios- in construction. No building design review, environmental review, tree removal permits.
2. City Hall Office Patio(s) and Use of Tree Sites for City Uses - completed 2023 Loss of land and tree sites, damage to soil, loss of use for private patios - no environmental review (stated as exempt)
3. City Hall Outdoor Patio - completed 2022 Loss of land, tree site rows that are not replanted, not conforming to historical site and context, no environmental review (stated as exempt)
4. Gated, walled Library Patio Project - application in review by City Expansion into the Heritage Orchard land, loss of tree sites, not conforming to historical site and context, not conforming to agricultural operations (spraying) (filed as a proejct Exempt from Review with SCC Assessor 12-12-2023)
5. Smith House Apricot Trees and Friends of Library Container Storage - ongoing Use of tree site and historic area for placement of Friends of Library Container Storage. No irrigation and maintenance assigned to these irreplaceable trees on land stipulated in the gift of Parcel 3 by Margaret Smith to NOT REMOVE, only replace the Apricot trees from this parcel or and other parcels with transferred fruit rights on the Civic Center property. (stated as exempt)
6. Trees and Orchard at Police Station - ACTION NOW, Tree Removal Permits Filing for tree permit removals posted on June 25, 2024 for these heritage trees and their tree site removal from the historic resource acreage without notice, hearings or environmental review. There are 10 days to file appeals to stop the trees from being removed until it receives a proper evaluation. (stated as not protected, filing permits under tree protection ordinance that can be appealed.
7. Maintenance and Replanting of the Orchard - ACTION NOW Under contract by the City, the History Museum was as contracted to coordinate maintenance of the Orchard. partial irrigation, partial replanting, removal of tree sites and lack of a sustainable and clear Maintenance Plan threaten the historic resource and its context as a "historic working orchard" reflecting our past and that is productive. AND threaten the health of the existing trees and the newly planted trees.
Unclear accountability and roles between City, Commissions and Museum for its preservation, and who/how/when will plan for and fund historical preservation and environmental review and restoration.
No qualified arborist report or soil testing before tree removal or replanting, Historical Resource Evaluation HRE or survey, or historical restoration landscape expert or planner involved required by historic preservation guidelines and law.
