Without the authority to do so, a person or persons hired a landscaping crew to remove 85, 15-gallon Queen Palm trees along the slopes surrounding The Boys and Girls Club and the Physical Education blacktop.
The trees were planted over the Thanksgiving break. Shortly after, a group of neighboring homeowners expressed objection to the trees on the grounds of the potential impact to their view corridors and fire safety. After a meeting(s) between representatives of the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District and neighborhood representatives, district representatives agreed to explore cost effective solutions to the neighbor’s complaints, including relocating the trees or transferring the trees to another school in the district. Unfortunately, a landscaping crew was hired to remove the trees, without the permission of the district, and at this time no one knows where the trees are located. According to an eyewitness, several men in an older pick-up truck with wood panels along the sides of the flatbed spent several hours Saturday digging up all of the queen palms and carted them off in their truck(s). The loss to the district is estimated to be over $10,000.
Over the school e-network, a parent went as far as saying kudos to those who removed the trees. Does that mean that she is promoting and accepts any or all criminal acts? What kind of a message is this parent sending to her children, all students and the entire community? And to society at large?
What’s also very troubling is parent volunteers planted the trees, as the district has limited funds available for landscaping. These volunteers are nothing but a hard working and unselfish group whose intentions were for the good of the children, the community and all visitors to Malibu High.
The issue of view corridor protection and fire safety is the subject of much debate. But the simple fact is that district representatives had agreed to try to attempt to resolve the complaints of the neighbors but were not given the time to do so. The matter was resolved it appears with the use of force and with no regard for laws or ethics or community. And definitely without regard for the efforts of all the parent volunteers and those whose dollars were donated to the cause of beautifying the grounds at Malibu High School.
I encourage anyone having any information regarding such a heinous act to call the Lost Hills Sheriff’s department at 310-456-6652. In addition, if anyone is interested in making a donation to replace the landscaping (of course with plants that are acceptable to the neighbors) please send your checks to MHS, 30215 Morning View Drive, Malibu, CA, 90265. To the attention of: The Shark Fund, with “Landscaping” in the memo line.
Mary Hughes-O’Leary