Trees and the Windsor Square HPOZ
Our trees are a crucial part of Windsor Square’s beauty and heritage. They need our help. Recently, we’ve witnessed the irreversible loss of mature trees on South Irving and South Van Ness, often due to ignorance and the failure to honor our preservation guidelines. These trees provided shade, oxygen, and natural habitat. They cannot be replaced overnight; they’ll take generations to grow back, if they’re replaced at all.
From a purely financial perspective, removing mature trees from a property in Windsor Square can significantly reduce a home’s value. Research by the Arbor Day Foundation indicates that mature trees can enhance property values by 3% to 15%. Given our neighborhood’s median home price of $3.65 million (Redfin, Aug 2024), eliminating mature trees from a yard might decrease the property’s value by over half a millon dollars. Mature trees can also dramatically reduce electricity bills by providing shade and reducing the need for air conditioning.
The recent trend of unlawful tree removal in Windsor Square started in 2023, with the removal of a beloved tree on South Van Ness to build an ADU, and has continued as entire landscapes with mature trees have been stripped away at other properties, shocking and dismaying the neighbors. More recently, at a historic bungalow on South Norton, the new owner removed several mature trees without prior HPOZ or city approval. The same happened on South Irving, where nearly all trees were removed.
The Windsor Square HPOZ guidelines explicitly protect trees, both in front and backyards, from unapproved removal, with penalties like fines and suspended permits. In addition, the Bureau of Street Services enforces strict guidelines on native California trees, which can’t be removed or endangered without permission. Again, fines, replacement costs, and halted permits await those who disregard these rules.
But the rules cannot be enforced without our vigilance. The City relies on a report of a violation in order to investigate and enforce against unlawful tree removal. This means that you and we play a critical role. We count on every neighbor, realtor, and buyer to know the rules and to uphold these protections. Please join us in spreading awareness. Realtors, please inform prospective buyers about the Windsor Square HPOZ guidelines and the City’s laws protecting native trees.
Residents, if you see violations, take pictures and report right away to help stop any further damage:
LA Planning Department, Historic Resources Department: Damian Gatto, (213) 847-3677, and email Damian at damian.gatto@lacity.org
LA Bureau of Street Services, Urban Forestry Division: (800) 996-2489, and email David Miranda (Chief Urban Forester) at david.miranda@lacity.org.
Together, we can protect Windsor Square’s irreplaceable heritage and urban forest.
