Encinitas Calls Meeting About Removal of 4 Ficus Trees; Tree Replacement Plan

ENCINITAS, CA — The city of Encinitas invites residents to a meeting Tuesday Sept. 6 about the removal of four large Ficus trees from the downtown area, and a plan to replace trees along the affected roadways.

City officials stated in a news release Tuesday that two trees on Second Street and two trees on Third Street need to be removed in the near future as they pose safety concerns, the potential for property damage and potential city liability.

"Trees are an important part of the fabric of Encinitas and the city values its trees immensely," said City Manager Karen Brust. "However, from time to time and for a variety of reasons, city street trees must be removed. It is never a decision we take lightly."

With trees being an important part of the Encinitas community, city officials are beginning to develop a tree replacement plan and are requesting community input to develop a vision for future street trees — including types of trees to be planted, appropriate sizes and best time for planting. Eventually, the plan will cover the entire downtown area and other parts of Encinitas.

However, the focus of the Sept. 6 community meeting will be to develop a plan for Second Street from K to B streets and a similar plan for Third Street from K to B streets. Results of the meeting will be used to formulate recommendations for tree species, size of planted trees and planting schedules, according to the news release.

The meeting will be held from 6 p.m. until about 7:30 p.m. in the Poinsettia Room at Encinitas City Hall, 505 Vulcan St.

For those seeking more information about trees within the city, the city’s Tree Tracker map-based app displays where thousands of city-maintained trees are located, what types of trees they are and when they will be pruned.

Image via Google Maps