The Catholic Diocese of Monterey is applying for permission to cut down a landmark tree near the doors of the SLO Old Mission Church. The mature silk floss tree with its bright pink butterfly-shaped blooms is creating expensive problems for the building, church officials said in their application for its removal.
The SLO tree committee deferred a decision at their June 25 meeting, and asked to see receipts for repair work generated by the tree, as well as an arborist’s assessment of root pruning, according to City Arborist Ron Combs.
Transplanting the signature tree was also discussed at the meeting, Combs said, adding that with a cost of up to $30,000, “it would be quite an undertaking and may not be feasible.”
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This article appears in Jul 4-11, 2007.
