The nostalgic skyline of East Anapamu Street, known for its historic Italian stone pines, is set to see a major transformation. The Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Commission, following recommendations from its Street Tree Advisory Committee (STAC), has unanimously approved the planting of native coast live oaks as the new street trees for the area.
This decision, reached during last Thursday’s meeting, marks a significant shift in the city’s urban landscape strategy and closes a longstanding chapter on the problematic stone pines. These trees, while historically significant, have caused numerous issues over the decades, including damaged sidewalks, disrupted plumbing systems, at least two falling on vehicles this year, and continual challenges for street maintenance due to their shallow, invasive root systems.
Arborist Duke McPherson, a member of the STAC, highlighted the problems with the Italian stone pines, describing their use as a “failed experiment” by early city planners who did not foresee the complications their roots would bring to the urban infrastructure…