Efforts are under way to save a historic Live oak tree. Which city has started a petition?
Dozens of Long Beach residents packed City Hall Thursday to implore city leaders to save a historic tree that could be cut down.
The Board of Aldermen didn’t take an official vote, but Mayor George Bass told residents he’s hopeful a solution can be found.
Developers have proposed a boutique hotel for the 300 block of Jeff Davis Avenue, in the city’s downtown. The developers will need to cut down a Live Oak tree believed to be over 200 years old in order for the project to fit on their lot.
Aldermen have already given permission for the tree to be removed, even though the city’s tree board said it and another Live Oak on the property should stay. On Thursday, the board received a petition with 1,500 signatures asking it to reconsider.
“We want this hotel, so don’t print we don’t want it,” Debi Caldwell, a petition organizer, told the Sun Herald before the meeting. “We need the tax revenue. But moving forward, there is a way to build around the tree safely and keep the (area’s) character.”
Caldwell told the aldermen that the tree had survived numerous hurricanes and was there long before Long Beach incorporated.
Some Long Beach residents left their own comments on an online page where people could sign the petition electronically. One read, “These trees are as much our city’s heritage as any building or historical figure. To have their lifespan cut short for financial gain or convenience is a crime against nature.”
Bass gave the residents hope a solution that satisfies everyone can be found. He said no construction is imminent.
“I think we as a board would like to look back in two years, or 10 years, and say we were faced with an obstacle, we were faced with a tough decision and we worked hard and ... made this work,” he said. “If we can have a little bit of time ... I think we could find a solution to move this development back without the developer having to redesign the building.”
Bass said it is possible that perhaps only one limb could be be cut and the rest of the tree could be saved.
In city paperwork, the developer is identified as Phenom Investments. Further information about the ownership structure of that company wasn’t immediately available.
Bass said any further decisions about the tree would be well publicized in advance so residents would be able to return to the board with comments.
This story was originally published February 9, 2023 at 6:44 PM.