The fruit trees (above) and oak trees in the city's Heritage Orchard are a topic of concern for the Saratoga City Council.
Photograph by George Sakkestad
City council will visit Heritage orchard to determine the future of 11 oak trees
Council undecided about what's best for the site
By Kate Carter
A May 1 debate about what to do with some controversial oak trees in the city's Heritage Orchard ended with the city council deciding to take a field trip to the orchard themselves, meet directly with the orchard's operators and make sure they "do no harm."
However, the problem for the council remains that of balancing competing views about whether the oak trees, as well as two tall fir trees, do more harm or good for the orchard.
For the past month, the city council has been grappling with the issue of removing six half-grown oak trees from among the orchard's rows of fruit trees. Some say the oaks will kill the fruit trees with their large, shady canopies and water-sucking roots. Based on that information, the council voted unanimously April 3 to remove the trees, as well as two tall fir trees that could pose a safety hazard, and move five small oak trees from along Saratoga Avenue to the median on Fruitvale Avenue.
Since then, though, the Novakovich family, which owns the Heritage Orchard, has challenged the council's decision, saying the oak trees do benefit the orchard by providing shade to picked fruit and those who pick it and serving as habitats for rodent-killing birds. In addition, members of the Saratoga community have written numerous letters to the council questioning any decision to remove healthy oak trees from an orchard that isn't commercially viable, an orchard that is an open space intended to benefit the community.
Councilman Stan Bogosian on April 17 asked that the issue be returned to the council's attention for reconsideration, and at the May 1 meeting expressed strong reservations about cutting down any of the trees.
"If a tree is healthy and living, I would really like to ask my colleagues to reconsider," he said. "I don't think this orchard was to be a model of a perfect orchard. Also, it's not uncommon to have large shade trees [in orchards]. I think in the total scheme of things, we have to seriously [re]consider taking these trees down."
However, Councilwoman Ann Waltonsmith, describing herself as an avid supporter of the orchard, said that not taking the trees down would be sentencing the orchard to death.
"If we leave all the oak trees, we are losing the orchard," she said. "I'm determined to save this Heritage Orchard, even if it means losing some oak trees."
Trying to cut a balance, Councilman John Mehaffey proposed taking out just three of the oaks, according to recommendations from the Novakovich family, as well as evaluate the safety of the tall fir trees with dead tops, which serve as perches for red tail hawks, before removing those.
But Bogosian said he would oppose a compromise, preferring to keep all the oaks. And Mayor Nick Streit said that, although he wouldn't oppose possibly keeping some of the oaks, he wanted to make sure the orchard could remain a viable example of the area's agricultural past, to teach children to value and respect it in the future.
"This is a situation here where we are taking trees to save trees," Streit said.
The council was also addressed by the former Heritage Preservation Commission--that oversees the Heritage Orchard--and current Planning Commissioner Jill Hunter, who raised the point that the city's removing oak trees from its own property could make it difficult for it to prevent private citizens from doing the same.
"It's going to be very hard to explain to people when they come in with their dream houses ... and say to them they can't take down the oak trees," she said. "I've heard from more people that they didn't know oak trees were so expendable in this community."
She suggested that the council keep the oak trees as an example of how highly Saratoga values them.
The council was divided about how their action would be perceived by the community, with some mentioning that the city does provide conditions for when it is allowed to remove oaks. It asked for further direction from staff, the community and the Novakoviches before it makes a permanent decision. It hopes to receive that information, as well as make its site visit, before making a final decision, which could be as early as May 15 or later into June.
The Novakoviches were not present at the May 1 meeting, and afterward Leah Novakovich said that neither she nor her sons Matt and George, who work the orchard, were aware that the council was addressing it. She was pleased that the council would be coming for a visit and consulting with them about which trees to remove.
"That's what they were supposed to have done before," she said. "We know about fruit trees."
Leah had submitted a letter to the council prior to the May 1 meeting, asking it to at least keep three of the larger oak trees. She later told the Saratoga News that George recommends only removing two of the smaller oaks nearer to Fruitvale Avenue and keeping the larger four more within the fruit trees. Mostly, though, she just wanted to be informed of the council's discussions.
"I wish they'd let us know with a phone call," she said.
City Manager Dave Anderson said he didn't know the Novakoviches didn't know in advance of the May 1 discussion, and was surprised they weren't aware because of the amount of attention the issue has been receiving. He acknowledged that it would probably have been better if someone from the city or the Heritage Preservation Commission had contacted the Novakoviches ahead of time.
"There's no intent to shut them out," he said, pointing to the council's interest in discussing the situation in person with the Novakoviches. "Logistically, [this situation] has been sort of difficult."
To find out when the council will discuss the Heritage Orchard oak trees, as well as other city issues, visit www.saratoga.ca.us/councilagenda.htm. Agendas for upcoming council meetings are posted on the site the Friday before.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
