The war on trees

Dear Editor:

Claremont is called the City of Trees and PhDs. Despite that moniker, there seems to be a war on trees in and around Claremont. Clearly, removing diseased or damaged trees needs to be addressed, but this recent assault or war may have started with the tree removal request made in May of 2014. The request was initially denied by the city council.

Undeterred, a recent Claremont transplant (July 2013) continued asking for two healthy oaks on the 100 block of East Green Street to be removed because of alleged health issues. The thought of conducting air quality assessments to see if the trees were indeed the cause of the issues does not appear to have been considered and, on March 24, 2015, the city council decided to remove the two trees. The removal reportedly cost $1,530. I guess we paid for that?

Assaults on trees continue. Recently, a local construction company removed virtually all of the trees at 3264 North Mountain Avenue (an unincorporated county property but within Claremont’s sphere of influence). In March, the city’s community and human services commission voted to allow D.R. Horton company to remove a healthy row of trees along the 600 block of Base Line Road. Now there is a challenge to a European Hackberry tree that has been in place since 1992.

As an aside, it would be good to know if the people making these requests have any responsibilities? Do they consider their neighbors’ rights to quiet enjoyment of the environment or the values of the community? Do they offer viable alternatives? Do they help pay for the removal and replacement of the trees?

I find it remarkable that people move into an established neighborhood and then set about altering it to fit their desires. This reminds me of people who move into homes near airports and then complain about the flight path of the airplanes.

Helen Linda Conard DesMarais

Claremont

Museum approval

Dear Editor:

The sky has not fallen! Life in Claremont will continue!

I believe the image of Claremont will actually improve, both in our own eyes as well as those of anyone visiting our famously beautiful city, as Pomona College proceeds with its plan to provide our city with a wonderful new museum in a location that will encourage our identification as a “town and gown” community in which we blend further together.

I, for one, will be even more proud than I already am to identify as a resident and citizen of Claremont where, since my retirement, I have enjoyed participating as a member of the college community while auditing classes at several Claremont Colleges. (Tuition free!)

Meanwhile, I cannot agree with those who bewail that the decision was made without a supermajority. I believe we were all taught the concept of majority rule, while only those who cannot bear to lose want to insist that a majority is not enough. Supermajorities are too difficult to attain to be realistically accomplished. To require them only serves to cripple our governmental decision-making, not only on our state and federal levels, but also in our local city of Claremont.

I also decry the selfish childishness of non-elected, non-governmental entities such as Claremont Heritage who believe they should have some sort of special role in important decisions affecting our community, believing that theirs is a greater wisdom than that of the rest of us.

Don Fisher

Claremont