The city has decided to remove a longstanding oak tree on Rinconada Court imminently.
Earlier in the year, a resident of Rinconada Court contacted the city with concerns about the coast live oak tree and its limbs overhanging their property, sparking an arborist assessment in April. The certified master arborist determined the tree was in fair condition and recommended a Level 3 Risk Assessment to get more information about the tree’s condition and the risk it poses.
In July, that assessment was conducted with the arborist determining the oak was in poor condition. The arborist determined that the likelihood of failure was probable; the likelihood of a tree limb falling on the resident’s property was medium; and should a limb fall on a person or property, the consequences would be severe, including significant damage, severe injury or death.
The Level 3 Risk Assessment arborist recommended “removing the subject tree to grade level immediately” in the report.
According to resident Afsaneh Behdad, city workers posted a sign on the trunk of the tree at the beginning of August that simply said, “Notice: Tree Removal. 7-Day Notice.”
Los Altos Community Services Director Manuel Hernandez said that they have not yet scheduled the removal of the tree yet, despite the sign. Hernandez said the city is still in the process of finding and securing the largest oak tree possible to replace it with.
“We want to replace the removed tree right after removal,” said Hernandez. “So we will not schedule until we have the replacement tree.”
Behdad, a 27-year resident on Rinconada Court, is saddened by the decision to remove the tree, which she believes still has a bit of life left and is not really sick.
“It’s the center of the history of this cul-de-sac,” Behdad told the Town Crier, accepting the city’s decision to remove the tree. “It’s holding everything together.”
Several limbs branch out from the 62-inch trunk, with arborists pointing out in their respective reports of decay, cracks, major cavities and fungal fruiting.
“It’s really emotional. It’s like losing your old friend,” she said. “It’s losing a big part of what this cul-de-sac stands for and (is) changing the landscape.”
Behdad said some residents of the street made an effort to appeal the removal of the tree but their requests were not pursued because the tree belongs to the city.
Hernandez said the tree will be removed as soon as they can schedule but added that they cannot yet estimate how long it will take.
