Conflict between Burlingame’s canopied, themed tree blocks and utilities like power lines have led the Burlingame Beautification Commission to explore the planting of smaller, still-harmonious tree species in certain areas.
The city currently has around 2,500 themed tree block sites — areas where one tree species is maintained and planted indefinitely along a block to create a sense of continuity and aesthetic appeal. At around 300 of those block sites, canopied trees like red maple, red oak and sycamore might present conflicts with overhead utilities, city arborist Rich Holz said.
As a compromise, the Beautification Commission asked Holtz to come back at a later meeting and present miniature tree options for each species creating issues with city utilities.
For example, areas on a red maple-themed block that endanger power lines could receive permission to plant smaller trident maples instead. The different maple variations won’t look exactly the same, Holtz said, but might be congruent enough to present a solution to the current issue.
“This is something folks are very passionate about, and we should do our due diligence,” he said.
Some residents, like Alice Davis, protested the themed tree blocks in their entirety. The sycamores in front of her house continue to cause problems, Davis said, and the city should not mandate their planting.
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“We strongly protest the planting of these sycamore trees in front of our house,” she said. “These trees are known to grow rapidly and have invasive roots. They grow 70-100 feet. It makes no sense to plant a tree that will present a threat to utilities.”
Others argued for the preservation of the sycamore trees and said that quasi-pollarding maintenance — where trees are aggressively trimmed at the branch — was a solution enough to any issues that might arise.
“I’m here to defend the sycamore trees,” former Burlingame Mayor Cathy Baylock said. “What they’ve always done on the utility side is quasi-pollarding, and they seem to do fine … there’s always going to be someone who wants to do away with a large canopy tree because it’s inconvenient.”
Commissioners were given the option to leave the themed tree blocks as is or explore the idea of granting more freedom to plant different types of trees where utility conflicts might arise. Ultimately, they settled on the idea of matching “mini-trees” as a compromise.
“I like the look of themed streets, the appearance, and I think a lot of people do like the history of that, and the appearance,” Commissioner Marcia Bauer said. “It could be a compromise between the groups that don’t want a themed replacement and the ones that do — have kind of a mini version.”
After Holtz presents the mini-tree options at an upcoming meeting, the Beautification Commission will send its recommendation to the City Council.
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