Did Hemming Plaza just dodge a bullet?

[Dog Walker]

Seems that Kelly Boree of Parks and Recreation had a quiet plan for major changes in Hemming Plaza.

Using unknown and unrevealed data, she decided that the 24 Laurel Oaks in Hemming Plaza were a "danger" and that half their life was gone so they should all be removed immediately.  This would denude the park of most of it's shade.  The park would also be closed for some period of time while the removal and stump grinding took place.

Greenscape, City Beautiful Jax, and other "landscape" organizations learned of this plan and had the expected reaction.  They met together and, with one of the most respected certified arborists, in North Florida, examined each of the trees.  The consensus of the experts was that there were some limbs that needed to be removed, but that there was no justification for wholesale removal of all of the trees.

This same group of people then met with Ms. Boree who, by reports, reacted quite hostility to the interference of outsiders and said that she had the money in the budget to do it now and wanted to proceed.

The beginning of summer is not the time to cut and replace trees in Florida according to the expert.  Replacing 24 Laurel Oaks with 6 Live Oaks at once means that there will be no shade in the park for many years.

The combined group reached out to the Mayor who has expressed his opposition to this plan in very blunt terms.

The expert arborist suggests that the Laurel Oaks, which are at about 50% of their life at this time, be replaced as they age out and be replaced over time, perhaps the next ten years so that there would be no "clear-cut" of the park.  This would also allow for the replacement Live Oaks to fill in the shade in the park in the meantime.

There has been comment and speculation about the real motivation for this sudden plan for the removal of all of the trees in the eastern end of the park.

[thelakelander]

^The "dying tree must immediately be cut down" stuff came out of the council's Hemming Plaza committee.   Hopefully, the mayor stops this nonsense from happening.

[ronchamblin]

Thanks Delta Whiskey.  And I agree Lake, that it would be a poor move to take the park to a position of tree emptiness for several years while waiting for new live oaks to grow. 

Why not simply perform the needed tree work on the existing trees once every two years, and then, also every two years, remove one tree, the most diseased, and replace it with a new youngster live oak?

This would allow the park to have a full family of trees all the time.  What is a park without trees? 

Solutions such as little restrained “removing” or “cutting down”, while clean and simple sounding, do little to save or enhance the park environment.  I think some people simply want to “do something”, no matter how ultimately damaging or inappropriate that something is.

Besides, I can charge more for my apartments on the corner of the park if there are more beautiful trees to view.  Being a greedy American, I work on the principle that all that matters in life is the money one can make.  More trees, more beauty, a greater view, more money for me, thus more beer and drugs...... and books to read.         

[ricker]

You are hilarious Mr.Chamblin!

[sheclown]

Keep throwing public safety out there as an excuse and see what happens -- and is happening -- with public trust.  City officials think this phrase is a free pass. 

[Bativac]

Why is there such a rush to tear things down in this city? Either buildings or trees. Why? Is it really individuals crusading for public safety? Is someone somehow connected to a debris removal firm?

I don't understand it.

[NotNow]

Actually they camped on the sidewalk by City Hall, where the city provided them with electricity...and bathrooms. 

[TheCat]

[heights unknown]

I was vamping around Jax when the renovation of Hemming Plaza began, if I remember correctly, around 1975. They cut down most of the big shade trees and planted them with the Laurel Oaks. As I remember, Hemming Plaza back then was almost devoid of any type of shade. I am against Mrs. Boree's plan to pluck up all of the Laurel's at once and replace them with with Live Oaks. It took almost (if I remember correctly) 20 years before any meaningful shade once again gave relief from the hot North Florida sun.

[heights unknown]

Why is there such a rush to tear things down in this city? Either buildings or trees. Why? Is it really individuals crusading for public safety? Is someone somehow connected to a debris removal firm?

I don't understand it.

Yeah, they need to really stop rushing to tear down trees in Jax. Foilage, trees, bushes, etc. is one of the unmistakable identities and staple of North Florida which sets it apart from other areas south of us. If you think I am wrong, go down to South Florida and look at what the City of Fort Lauderdale did. That City is almost devoid of any major shade trees. People who walk, or wait on buses, and who don't have a car have to suck it up and let the very hot South Florida sun beat down on them, and, the City just looks naked and weird without any trees.

[Noone]

MJ, you guys are all on the in. Not sure exactly what meeting it was or if it was the subcommittee meeting but Hemming Plaza was being discussed and feel free to make your own phone calls but here is what I'm still trying to wrap my arms around. This is a 30 day RFI, RFP, 30 days. 30 days. What is up with that.

I believe that Downtown Vision is the only reply back. Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong with that. Is the 30 day clock almost over? Has it even started. I recall Paul Crawford and conferring with Jason Gabriel OGC and a legislative maneuver and timetable. The legislative timetable and new DIA stuff could then circumvent City Council participation. believe me I'm trying to wrap my arms around it but it's just tough. All I can say is see the tape.

Paul, Jason, Terry, anyone else feel free to jump in here. Changes are coming to Hemming Plaza. Good or bad. I'm also interested in the process because Shipyards is next. I've got huge concerns with that one.

A new Authority.
Embrace It
Or
It will Embrace Us.

[TheCat]

This was sent to from the mayor's office upon inquiry on kelley boree. Double speak?

On May 13, 2013, at 12:19 PM, "DeCamp, David" <DDeCamp@coj.net> wrote:

[__________],

Any changes to Hemming Plaza would occur only after collaboration and discussion with City Council, the Downtown Investment Authority and other stakeholders.  There is no action under way and has been no decision to proceed as described in your email, although the City of Jacksonville could obviously take steps to replace any tree based on the condition of the tree and safety of the public.

Sincerely,
Dave

David DeCamp
Director of Communications
City of Jacksonville, Mayor Alvin Brown
117 West Duval Street, Suite 240
Jacksonville, FL 32202
Direct: (904) 630-1938
Mobile: (904) 537-9112

@DaveDeCamp

Email: ddecamp@coj.net

To be part of the city’s press list, go here: http://cojmediaupdates.coj.net/

[hd3nson]

When I was a kid, my grandmother had an album of 45rpm records by the Sons of the Pioneers, and one of my favorite songs was "Trees," a musical version of Joyce Kilmer's poem. I was probably humming that song decades ago, when I was driving over the Hart Bridge. It was amazing how much greenery that Jacksonville has. It looked (and still looks) as if a forest is out there, although the area is filled with homes and businesses.

I like to see trees downtown and in shopping centers. They speak of a value system that is different from America's typical wrecking ball mentality and our inclination to clear cut anything to put up with a cement block building that can be bulldozed in fifteen years.

I've never had much discretionary income to travel much, but, when I've been to New York, London, and Paris, I've been struck by the fact that great cities have great parks. Even smaller cities, such as Savannah, have been able to incorporate parks into their cityscape. By contrast, when I see photo albums of many Midwest towns and cities, I'm struck by the nearly total absence of trees and greenery in the downtown areas. I would not want to live there.

Jacksonville is not able to create a Central Park or a Hyde Park, but we can approximate what Savannah has done with its individual block parks.

In Jacksonville, the tree controversy has been muddied by the problem of vagrants at Hemming Plaza. These are two different problems. If the trees are razed, the vagrants will be there. If benches are removed, they will be there. Find the solution to the vagrant problems, and the trees will no longer be a worry.

[L.P. Hovercraft]

When I was a kid, my grandmother had an album of 45rpm records by the Sons of the Pioneers, and one of my favorite songs was "Trees," a musical version of Joyce Kilmer's poem. I was probably humming that song decades ago, when I was driving over the Hart Bridge. It was amazing how much greenery that Jacksonville has. It looked (and still looks) as if a forest is out there, although the area is filled with homes and businesses.

I like to see trees downtown and in shopping centers. They speak of a value system that is different from America's typical wrecking ball mentality and our inclination to clear cut anything to put up with a cement block building that can be bulldozed in fifteen years.

I've never had much discretionary income to travel much, but, when I've been to New York, London, and Paris, I've been struck by the fact that great cities have great parks. Even smaller cities, such as Savannah, have been able to incorporate parks into their cityscape. By contrast, when I see photo albums of many Midwest towns and cities, I'm struck by the nearly total absence of trees and greenery in the downtown areas. I would not want to live there.

Jacksonville is not able to create a Central Park or a Hyde Park, but we can approximate what Savannah has done with its individual block parks.

In Jacksonville, the tree controversy has been muddied by the problem of vagrants at Hemming Plaza. These are two different problems. If the trees are razed, the vagrants will be there. If benches are removed, they will be there. Find the solution to the vagrant problems, and the trees will no longer be a worry.

+1 
Great post!
Removing the trees in Hemming plaza in some misguided, orcish attempt to remove the homeless people there is like attempting to cure a headache by sawing off a foot--it doesn't make a lick of sense.

[urbaknight]

^ Or having a root canal when all you need is a cavity filled.