I need to address the issue of the San Luis Obispo city war against mature, landmark trees. The case in point: The coastal lone oak adjoining the new parking garage on Monterey Street at Nipomo.
As I have been told, this all started in 2010 when SLO leased that huge corner to SLO REP for $1 a year. No problems from me. The promise in 2012 was to include our oak in the theater design. The city’s and SLO REP’s responsibility was to continue the health and viability of our oak, agreed again. Voila! On Sept. 25, 2025, Kevin Harris of SLO REP asked permission from the city natural resources manager, Robert Hill, to remove our tree. That was granted in an unbelievable 15 days, on Oct. 10. No City Council involvement yet.
At the Feb. 3, 2026, council meeting, it voted 4-1 to “reaffirm” their support of removing our oak. Council, till then, had never taken a public stance on our oak.
They later claimed that this vote was irrevocable because of “previous council decisions.” What? Who? When?
Please contact our council and SLO REP board President Pam Nichter. They are the only voice we have. As an aside, in June, SLO allowed the second huge ficus on Marsh at Nipomo to be “removed.”
Fitzgerald Kelly
San Luis Obispo
This article appears in July 16-23, 2026.
