Parrots Fly To Lois Lane, Cause Tree Removal, Paving Delay

Mitred parakeets frequent Belmont Shore. Concern for the flock of parrots that make Belmont Shore their home will delay removal of trees along Lois Lane, and could postpone repaving of the street as well.

Lois Lane is an improved alley near the intersection of Livingston Drive and Ximeno Avenue. After the recent rebuild of Livingston Drive, repaving of Lois Lane was proposed.

However, a row of six mature Red Iron Bark Trees along Lois Lane have outgrown their space, and the root systems have damaged curb, gutter and pavement. In order to complete the work on Lois Lane, the city’s arborist recommended the removal of the trees. They were posted and neighbors notified.

One nearby resident, Kate Karp, noticed that the trees slated for removal included one favored by the flock of wild parrots that has become a Belmont Shore staple. According to Karp, a group of the parrots often spend the night on Lois Lane.

“When we were naming this street, in fact, one suggestion by Melinda Cotton, which was almost as popular as Lois Lane and which I liked a lot, was Parrot Lane,” Karp wrote. “The conures flock over to our end of the street from the tree in front of the Vons on Ocean Boulevard, where they work during the day as greeters, to the Lois Lane tree, where they nibble away at the berries and provide a little night music.”

Karp asked for and received the arborist’s report about the trees, and asked what she could do. She was told to file an appeal with Art Cox, superintendent of street operations in the Public Works Department, which she did.

“We received the appeal on Monday,” Cox said. “The next step is we’ll go back to engineering and see if there are alternatives… If not, the tree advisory committee would review the appeal, and that likely would take place in April or May.

“We’ll open it up and take a look at each tree… We always like to find a way to do both, to keep the tree and get the work done. But if the tree is compromised, it will have to go.”

Cox said the department also consults the Audubon Society when bird nesting places are concerned. It’s uncertain how long the project would be delayed, he said.

Karp said she is willing to compromise, at least to some degree. She also admitted she might be in the minority, at least when it comes to parrots versus pavement.

“I don’t know how sick the trees actually are, but it’s obvious that they’re in the way of the repaving,” she wrote. “I object to uprooting at least this tree because of the subsequent eviction of the parrots. Is there a way that the roots can be worked around, at least on this tree?

“Otherwise, I’ll take potholes with my parrots, although I don’t know how agreeable the other residents would be with the idea.”