Whittier will move forward with razing 83 ficus trees as part of a redesign of its commercial center despite an outpouring of opposition to the plan. On Tuesday night, City Council members voted 3 to 1 to proceed with a $20-million redevelopment project in Uptown Whittier that requires the removal of all the ficus trees in the three-block project area. The decision followed months of public outcry over the fate of the trees after the mid-December approval of the Greenleaf Promenade.
' City officials also explored options to phase in the project over time and answered more than 50 questions posed in public comments, including about legal liability posed by tree hazards, environmental documentation and historic streetlights. 'We will NOT give up!' resident Conny McCormack said in a text message the day after the meeting. McCormack, who was among those leading the opposition to the tree removal, suggested a lawsuit might be in the works.