HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/10/2019 Item 4, Marcotte
Wilbanks, Megan
From:oxforduniversity M <oxforduniversity1@hotmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, December
To:Advisory Bodies; Combs, Ron
Subject:Tree Committee - opposition on 1594 Cucaracha tree removal
SLO Tree Committee
25 Prado Road
San Luis Obispo, CA. 93401
Chair Scott Loosley
Committee Members Alan Bate, Elizabeth Lucas, Sean O’Brien, Rodney Thurman, Allen Root, Vice Chair
Jane Worthy, Chair Scott Loosley
Ref. Opposition on 1594 Cucaracha ct Debora Cedar tree removal
Dear Tree Committee
I am responding to the tree removal on 1594 Cucaracha ct as I live right next door to these
homeowners. I have read the application from the owner Steve Francis who is the new homeowner of
this address. Steve claims in his application the tree is on a slope and is concerned on his house is a
target.
First of all, as a next-door neighbor I can tell you this homeowner is purposely misleading the Tree
Committee as Steve Francis is not concerned about the slope because he is really planning on building a
dwelling unit in his backyard. His wife Kathy doesn’t like the looks of the two Debora Cedar trees
because she complained about how ugly the trees look and they have to come up with a reason to get
rid of them so Steve Francis filed an application of removal claiming it’s on a slope. When you live next
door, you can hear conversations when people talk and these homeowners complained about how ugly
the Debra Cedar trees look.
Please know there is no danger to the house on 1594 Cucaracha court, the Tree Committee is just being
lied to by the homeowner to get rid of them. The 2 Debora Cedar trees are over 40 years old and has not
sloped over in the many years I lived next door and nor did the following homeowner Tina who lived
there over 38 years never once said anything about those 2 trees in her backyard sloping to be
concerned about, there was never no concern at all from the following homeowner.
This application on removal on the 2 tree’s is really about Steve Francis on 1594 Cucaracha ct on his
plans for building a massive dwelling unit his backyard so the Tree Committee is being lied to on sloping.
The homeowner is telling the Tree Committee it’s on a slope because he really wants to build the ADU
close to the fence where the trees are (they want to have as much room as possible to build in their
backyard for the ADU). Before Steve & Cathy Francis bought the property in October 2019, there were
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several trees in their front & backyard which they have removed everything out of their property
completely in the past 6 weeks, everything is gone. There are no plants, bushes, tree’s, shrubs nothing,
they completely gutted out to bare bones when the following homeowner had several tree’s in front
and in back, so please know they have no concern for tree life; it’s just about their dwelling unit plans.
They are not tree people and if they were, they wouldn’t have removed all the trees on their new
property to begin with. I will add they even made the opposite next-door neighbor who owned several
Italian Cypress bushes, they removed them which they were there for 30 plus years. The Italian Cypress
bushes were not on their property but they ripped them out anyway 3 weeks ago even though they got
permission from the opposite neighbor, he is 84 years old and can’t see anymore. I felt like they used
the other neighbor and complained about his Italian Cypress getting them to remove them, a man that’s
lived there since 1972 lives alone.
Last week I called City Code Enforcement city officer to go 1594 Cucaracha to question the dwelling unit
footing because they do not have a permit to build one(they have routed in their backyard with dwelling
unit trenching in the dirt as the owners have told me they are going build a dwelling unit in the backyard
3 weeks ago), Steve & Kathy Francis lied to the City Code Enforcement officer last week which they told
him they don’t plan on building a dwelling unit that they just moved dirt around (they lied to the City
Code Enforcement Officer on that matter when he contacted me back that’s how I knew). These owners
told me a month ago and the contractors working for them on their property currently said they are
going to build a dwelling unit and it will be completed by March 2020. They are remodeling the house
for their son and his son’s wife to live in the main house and use the future dwelling unit to get some of
their money back by renting the dwelling unit; that’s their plan. The owners paid $562k cash for the
house and she complained to me 3 weeks ago that they need the dwelling unit to get some of their
money back. So, they have this all planned how the backyard is going to look which they have been
rather horrible to me as a new neighbor. For example, last week Steve & Kathy Francis hired a land
surveyor who they specifically hired to find the property line from my house and 1594 Cucaracha for
their dwelling unit. The following day, Steve & Kathy Francis immediately removed 52 feet of the
property fence between us telling me nothing. They never came over to tell me what the land surveyor
report was or consulted with me or anything to inform me, they just removed the fence out of the blue
and refuse to talk to me about. That’s when I had my final conversation with them but after that I
questioned their dwelling unit. The reason why I am telling the Tree Committee this is because this is the
treatment I have gotten from these new homeowners to tell the Tree Committee they are not honest
people as they have ignored talking to me or telling me anything about their property plans. However, I
work in my backyard all the time and I hear them talking on what they want to do with the property
that’s why I know this application is a farce by these homeowners on the tree removal.
Now my interest in the Debora Cedar trees; I live next door and for the past 7 years I have had seen owls
in those two trees. On my property for example I have over a dozen trees but the owl’s like the Debora
Cedar trees next door at 1594 Cucaracha ct. When I come home late hours or early mornings from work,
I see these beautiful owls on those Debora Cedar trees at night and also blue jays in the daytime
because I live next door. I personally like seeing the trees and having those trees there because of the
birds which I enjoying having around my property. Removing these trees would be foolish especially
when a homeowner like Steve Francis is lying because his wife doesn’t like them to make out a fake
story for the Tree Committee to believe them is wrong. I am not happy they are my neighbors but I also
don’t want them taking advantage of the City like they are trying to do. Please don’t buy into the
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homeowners of 1594 Cucaracha ct bait because those Debora Cedar trees are very healthy and are not
slopping or are going to fall over, no way.
I appreciate the Tree Committee and your job to serve & protect our Cities trees, we need trees as much
as possible. So please vote NO on the removal of 1594 Cucaracha court.
Thank you
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