On the Peninsula, a community is fighting to save two heritage trees, both more than 100 years old.

They say the trees add value to the neighborhood and are worth the cost of maintenance.

In e-mails to San Bruno residents, the city says the trees get in the way of future plans to make the area a park. Right now, the space is basically a big dirt area, fenced off with just two trees on the perimeter.

They are classified as heritage trees and do have some protections under the law that help preserve such old trees. But according to the city, there are exceptions, such as when these trees get in the way of public services or facilities.

But the people who live in the area say what is a park without these trees? They say the city is just taking the easy way out.

They say they’ve been told there aren’t enough resources to maintain the trees. The residents also say city officials have said the trees will produce dropplings as trees do, but they will fall on children playing in the park.

But neighbors say the city just doesn’t value these trees enough to work around them. They tell KRON4 they on the perimeter.

They don’t get in the way of anything, and they feel strongly that they’re worth saving.

“I feel that this could be handled better,” resident Sandra Perez-Vargas said. “We attended a meeting last year when they were talking about bringing the park here. And then there was no mention about the trees, absolutely no mention. And they designed a playground right underneath the tree. That is what the issue is at this point. The officials are saying it’s going to get tree droppings where the children are. We are saying is what city park doesn’t have trees with droppings? These trees are heritage trees. They’ve lived here. They’ve been here longer than us. They should have the right to be here long after we’re gone.”

Stephen Seymour says he wants the trees to stay right where they are.

“We’d like for the trees to stay,” Seymour said. “We have neighbors here who said they’re willing to care for the trees and that the trees mean a lot to them. So, we started sending e-mails, and we actually put up a petition to save the trees. The city is going to build this park and put smaller trees there. But this tree has been living there for over a 100 years.”

KRON4 reached out to the city manager Connie Jackson, and she tells KRON4 she’s aware of the interest expressed by some of the residents and that there is no current schedule for the removal of the trees.

When KRON4 asked for clarification on whether that means they would not be removed, the response was the trees have not been removed at this time and the city will be in touch with the residents.

So, it doesn’t sound like they’re making any commitments at this point.

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