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8) PUBLIC COMMENT AND COUNCIL DISCUSSION REGARDING GARRETT PARK; Mayor Hartnett called on those people in the audience who wished to speak to the issue of tree removal in Garrett Park. AIdo Parenti, 772 Bain Place, Redwood City, whose back property line abuts the right of way wherein the remaining eucalyptus trees are standing. He described how one of the eucalyptus trees fell into his back yard and just missed falling through his home during the storm this past January. Mr. Parenti expressed support for staff's recommendation. He asked that safe and appropriate trees replace those dangerous extremely tall eucalyptus trees as soon as possible. John O'Boyle, 774 Bain Place, Redwood City, distributed photos of damage done to his property by the subject eucalyptus trees and said the trees would be extremely dangerous during an earthquake or fire. Mr. O'BoyIe said the subject trees were ruining property values and expressed support for Option No.1. Marilyn West, 429 Lancaster, Redwood City, related the history of the area of Garrett Park and the eucalyptus trees. Ms. West said her great grandparents bought that land and planted those trees. She said that although her family sold the property in the seventies with the understanding it would remain an urban wilderness, that area of eucalyptus trees was stilI a sanctuary to her. She said that through the decades there had never been problems with the trees up to very recently, and removing them would destroy the ecology and atmosphere of Garrett Park. Ms. West was very emotional when telling the Council how precious those remaining trees were to her, and about her desire to have the area left as a wilderness to be a sanctuary for children and others Gerry Benesch, 3275 Oak Knoll, Redwood City, told the Council that the Parenti's had asked that the eucalyptus trees be trimmed, and due to over trimming those trees were now developing problems. She said with good maintenance the trees could have many, many more healthy years left. Ms. Benesch said the trees were slightly damaged in last January's storm and they did a little damage to property, but the value of trees to the environment and to people outweigh the problems of a damaged roof. Ms. Benesch blamed the support for the elimination of the last ten eucalyptus trees as "eucalyptus paranoia due to the Oakland HilIs fire." Ms. Benesch said the West family sold the property to guarantee it retain its wilderness character, and people should work with staff on maintenance issues to preserve trees not destroy them. Ms. Benesch said she and her supporters were willing to do whatever it took to save the eucalyptus trees. Nancy Peterson, 3275 Oak Knoll, Redwood City, referred to the staff report and her response to it that she had circulated earlier. Ms. Peterson said she believed the City should have to go through the same process for its tree removal actions as private ADJOURNED REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING OCTOBER 7, 1996 MINUTES MINUTE BOOR NO. 54 PAGE 9 Page No. 521