HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/3/2026 Item 5g, SLO Reviews
SLO REVIEWS <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:URGENT CONCERN REGARDING REMOVAL OF HISTORIC TREE
To the City of San Luis Obispo City Council,
I am writing to express my deep disappointment and profound frustration with the City’s approval of plans for the new
San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre that would result in the removal of a 96-year-old tree. What should have been a
project celebrating arts and community has instead become a tragedy of errors.
I request that I be provided with any and all reports, surveys, arborist assessments, root studies, or professional
evaluations that justify the claim that the tree’s root system would not affect the construction of the new theatre. It is
extremely difficult for me to believe that any competent arborist or surveyor could conclude the project should proceed
knowing that 86% of the tree’s critical root zone would be impacted. I find it nearly impossible to understand how a
professional could approve this plan in good conscience, knowing the scale of impact on an irreplaceable LIVING
landmark. If your city arborist truly concluded that this plan “met city guidelines,” then those guidelines are clearly
inadequate and MUST be revised immediately.
I have attended several SLO REP performances over the years, but I am no longer able to support them or their
proposed vision as it currently stands. Furthermore, I will no longer be a customer of any downtown shops or services,
including the Thursday Farmers Market.
This tree cannot be replaced. This tree predates the iconic gum wall, Madonna Inn, and the opening of Cal Poly. This tree
has endured generations of weather extremes and natural disasters. Unfortunately, it could not survive your complete
and utter incompetence.
As Dr. Seuss wrote in The Lorax:
“UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
I care. The community cares. And this is not better. The erection of a new SLO Rep building does not serve the people
that made the city what it is; it serves only a narrow group of insiders who have decided that money and convenience
outweigh history and common sense.
You still have time to correct this egregious error. It is not too late. DO BETTER.
Sincerely,
A concerned citizen
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