HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/3/2026 Item 5g, Ayral
Odile Ayral <oayral@calpoly.edu>
Sent:Tuesday,
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:A Venerable Tree
Mayor Stewart and Council Members,
I am sending this note to express my bewilderment at the decision taken by the Council to kill a magnificent old
oak tree simply because of various “human mistakes”. Since the tree had been there for a very long time,
probably a couple centuries, it should have received precedence over developers, architects and city staff,
especially in view of all the promises made by both the city and SLO Rep, that this venerable tree would be
protected. We heard it repeatedly: don’t worry, the oak tree will be part of the plans, it will not be
touched. You lied. SLO Rep lied. And if you believe you did not lie, then you were incompetent and easily
manipulated.
We are presently living in a sea of lies. They come from all directions. We are bombarded. Our attention turns
in hundreds of directions: Good, Pretti, little Liam, little Diana and all the kids in Minneapolis, in Gaza, in
Sudan, in Ukraine. It is like a constant panic, so we overlook the tree for a short time, and before we know it, it
is gone. It may seem unimportant in view of the rest, but it’s not because it is a symbol of life. A symbol of
light in a time of darkness. Something we can believe in when everything else is turning to dread. Can you
understand this?
You can change the plans. Sure, it will cost money, but if you call for a fundraising to save the oak tree, I
believe enough people will contribute to pay for new plans drawn by a different architect. You may say the
roots have already been damaged, but only one arborist wrote a report. Why not hire another arborist who may
come up with a different viewpoint? Don’t just sigh and say, “we goofed.” DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
Odile Ayral
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