During the global COVID-19 pandemic cities had to grapple with balancing the public health crisis while staying business friendly when possible.
As most cities pivoted to provide al-fresco dining options for restaurants, Whittier created their own outdoor dining in Uptown which was made a part of the Greenleaf Promenade plan by the council last year.
Whittier is planning to invest $20 million into The Greenleaf Promenade project which will include updating utilities such as water meters and more, according to the Whittier Daily News.
The Greenleaf Promenade stretches along three blocks of Greenleaf Avenue, from Hadley Street to Wardman Street.
The design allows the option for opening and closing the street to vehicles. Modular outdoor spaces can be used for outdoor dining, retail or public use.
Sixty of 81 Uptown businesses indicated they are in favor in a survey released in August. There are about 515 businesses in the Uptown area, 35 of which are directly on the Promenade.
Although the project passed the city council 4-0, due to Mayor Joe Vinatieri recusing himself due to his wife owning a business along the promenade’s corridor, some residents are concerned that the project will uproot roughly 108 ficus trees that are known to cause damage to both the city and private property’s underground infrastructure along with possible disruption to business operation due to their invasive roots.
Related: Ticking Tree Bomb: Ficus trees damage storefronts, create pedestrian hazards on 24th Street
“Most people want to save the ficus trees but this would come with a serious risk as one more lawsuit like the Penn Park tree case would very likely bankrupt the city,” said former council member Henry Bouchot.
In 2020, the City was ordered to pay $28 million to the family of a San Pedro woman who was killed by a falling tree at her daughter’s wedding nearly four years ago in the park.
A 70-foot eucalyptus tree fell onto a wedding party as they posed for pictures. One was killed, and several others were injured, including a 3-year-old girl who suffered irreparable brain damage.
Related: Downtown Ficus Tree Scheduled for Removal
In the city of Inglewood, during powerful rain storms, trees have been falling around the City with one falling inside a home along the north end of Hillcrest Blvd. last February. Thank GOD no one was home. The tree literally uprooted from the root which was left exposed.
Shortly thereafter, in the south end of Hillcrest Blvd., another large ficus tree uprooted from its root which nearly toppled onto a burger stand.
Inglewood was able to reject the claim citing the weather conditions that were present, but will most likely have to pay as did Whittier because heavy rain preceded the tree falling onto the wedding party.
For the safety and well-being for the many residents who will both dine and congregate along the Greenleaf Promenade, the council is being proactive in removing the trees and replacing them with ones that will be less likely to result in a major event as they have previously experienced.