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Date:3/2/2026 11:39:50 AM
From:"Omaira Lee"
To:"Public Comment" publiccomment@anaheim.net, "Omaira Lee"
Subject:[EXTERNAL] RE: FOLLOW-UP: Urgent Request for Maintenance/Removal of City Tre e s at
Attachment:IMG_0680.jpeg;IMG_5418.jpeg;IMG_5372.jpeg;IMG_5420.jpeg;
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March 2, 2026
City Council of Anaheim 200 S. Anaheim Blvd. Anaheim, CA 92805
Dear City Council Members,
I am writing to you today to formally follow up on a grievance I first brought to your attention nearly two years ago, on March 26,
2024. I have been a resident of Anaheim for 26 years, and for the past five years, I have struggled with an escalati ng and
neglected issue regarding the city-maintained trees lining my property.
Despite my previous formal letter and 5–6 documented calls to the tree service department, the situation remains completely
unresolved. I have previously met with representatives, including Joe Vargas, who acknowledged the issue and stated the tree
would be placed on a work schedule. However, to date, no effective maintenance, tri mmi ng, or treatment has occurred.
As the enclosed updated photographs demonstrate, the problem has worsened signi fi cantly:
Loss of Property Use: The volume of sap falling is so extreme that I am effecti vely barred from parki ng in my own
driveway. The stickiness is not just a nuisance; it is a thick coating that attracts debris and damages vehicle finishes.
Property Damage: The concrete of my driveway and the public curb (as seen in the attached photos) are now
permanently stained and blackened by the constant dripping and subsequent mold/mi ldew growth associ ated wi th tree
sap (honeydew).
Maintenance Burden: To prevent permanent damage to our vehicles, we are forced to wash them every three days. This
is an unreasonable expectation of labor and water usage for a resident to bear due to unmaintai ned ci ty property.
Deteriorating Tree Health: The excessive sap production suggests an infestati on or poor tree health that threatens not
only my property but the safety of the street should the tree's structural integrity fail.
I am deeply disappointed that two years have passed since my last formal appeal without a single proacti ve step from the ci ty. I
am once again urging the City Council to intervene and direct the Tree Department to:
1. Perform an immediate, expert assessment of the tree's health and the pest i nfestati on causi ng the sap.
2. Execute immediate mitigation, whether through aggressive trimming, systemi c pest treatment, or complete removal of
the tree Which at this point, I would prefer the later.
3. Address the root encroachment that is currently compromising the integri ty of my dri veway.
As a long-term resident and taxpayer, I expect the city to maintain its infrastructure—i ncludi ng its urban forest—so that it does
not infringe upon the basic rights of homeowners to use their own land.
I have attached four new photographs (taken recently) that clearly show the "mist" of sap coveri ng my vehicle and the dark, sticky
residue coating the public and private concrete surfaces.
I look forward to a written response and a scheduled date for the commencement of thi s work wi thi n the next ten business days.
Sincerely,
Omaira Lee