A decades-old oak tree at the corner of Nipomo and Monterey streets in downtown San Luis Obispo is approved for removal to make way for the new SLO Rep Theater and the community is pushing back.
Initial plans approved in 2019 for the theater outlined preserving the tree, but after an arborist's analysis was requested in 2025, SLO Rep says keeping it would not be viable.
In a statement, SLO Rep said, "Both our arborist and the City's arborist concluded that the probability of the tree surviving any major construction is extremely low, unless changes are made to the building's footprint. However, it's also unlikely any change to the footprint would ensure the tree's survival and, importantly, any significant change would reduce the size of the theater to a point where the theater would no longer be economically viable."
The removal was approved 4-1 at the Feb. 3 City Council meeting. The sole no vote came from Jan Marx, who said at the meeting she felt the city failed.
City staff pointed to changes in best practice and science that led to the unexpected removal, adding that changes have since been made to their policies to avoid a similar situation in the future.
Community members say the decision feels like a broken promise.
"To me, it feels like a huge betrayal of a promise," said Joan Judson, a 27-year San Luis Obispo resident.
"Both the city and SLO Rep have told us that, you know, we consider this matter closed," said Bruce Judson, also a 27-year San Luis Obispo resident.
Some residents say the burden of adjustment should fall on the theater's design, not the tree.
"If we have to do something about the theater, then let's make the adjustment on the theater's end, rather than on the tree's end," said Fitzgerald Kelly, a 12-year San Luis Obispo resident.
Kelly said the shift in priorities has been disheartening.
"The priority has switched from saving things to yeah, we're expendable," Kelly said.
SLO Rep says five trees will be planted to supplement the loss, but residents say that falls short.
"To say that sounds too pat, it sounds too easy, too simplified. We're just going to plant new trees and like, let it go. Just let this go. You know, we're going to put in other trees and it's going to take another 80 years for them to start to look like this," Joan Judson said.
Over the last week, community members have been posting notes in favor of the tree and placing signage on the surrounding green fence. Those notes have since been removed. Confirmation is still pending on who removed them.
SLO Rep confirmed over email that no set date has been scheduled for the removal.
For now, residents remain hopeful they can reverse the decision.
"I really think we can do this differently and we can keep our original promise to the tree," Joan Judson said.
