UPDATED, 5:01 PM: Universal is about to get hit with a fine for trimming those now well-known Ficus trees along Barham Boulevard.
LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia, who’s become quite the active Twitter user lately, announced Friday that StreetsLA will issue a citation in the amount of $250 for cutting back the trees that once provided shade to sweaty WGA picketers. It’s definitely not a bank-breaker — Universal probably paid way more to pop those last-minute white tents on the picket line as a way to make up for the brouhaha — but it’s something, we guess.
Mejia went on to post a long thread that basically explains how the city only has so many inspectors to keep up with these shenanigans and that change is needed.
“StreetsLA fines all first-time offenders – regardless of # of trees at issue – a $250 penalty. If violations continue, the fines can grow to $1,000,” he wrote. “If trees are found to be significantly damaged, StreetsLA can require the offenders plant two trees per damaged tree.”
“In this case, StreetsLA determined the trees were not significantly damaged and will likely recover in 6-12 months,” Mejia continued. “Through our investigation, we’ve learned that StreetsLA can’t proactively protect our 700,000+ City trees and investigate abuse. The City has only 12 inspectors.”
“Currently, investigations of unpermitted tree trimming are complaint-driven. We also discovered that permits to trim trees are issued by the City instantly. Due to understaffing issues, there is no pre-inspection on whether the trees need to/should be trimmed.”
“Just like other city department, StreetsLA is underfunded and understaffed so our City can’t effectively protect our trees through timely & effective services. In addition, outdated laws limit fine amounts and aren’t equitable across offenders, especially big corporations.”
“Our Office recommends that the City invest more in StreetsLA’s Urban Forestry Division (UFD) and in more tree inspectors to better protect communities from the effects of climate change and improper tree trimmings given the magnitude of our 700,000+ city trees.”
“Our Office also recommends that the City update our laws regarding illegal tree trimmings, including updating fine amounts and penalties that reflect # of trees illegally trimmed, not just by incident as improper tree trimmings can cause irreversible damage to our communities.”
“Based on our findings, the system isn’t working as intended. As the City’s watchdog, our job is to bring transparency and accountability to systemic issues that our city is facing. The information we bring to light empower policymakers and the people to create change.”
Phew! You can see the whole thread below.
StreetsLA has informed us that they are issuing a citation in the amount of $250 (first-time offense) to Universal Studios. The citation alleges a violation of trimming trees without a city permit.
Outdated laws limit penalties the City can issue. https://t.co/8ge7LElRao pic.twitter.com/T1jOWvXEB4 — LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia (@lacontroller) July 21, 2023
In this case, StreetsLA determined the trees were not significantly damaged and will likely recover in 6-12 months.
Through our investigation, we’ve learned that StreetsLA can’t proactively protect our 700,000+ City trees and investigate abuse. The City has only 12 inspectors. — LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia (@lacontroller) July 21, 2023
Just like other city department, StreetsLA is underfunded and understaffed so our City can’t effectively protect our trees through timely & effective services.
In addition, outdated laws limit fine amounts and aren’t equitable across offenders, especially big corporations. — LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia (@lacontroller) July 21, 2023
Our Office recommends that the City invest more in StreetsLA’s Urban Forestry Division (UFD) and in more tree inspectors to better protect communities from the effects of climate change and improper tree trimmings given the magnitude of our 700,000+ city trees. — LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia (@lacontroller) July 21, 2023
Based on our findings, the system isn’t working as intended.
As the City’s watchdog, our job is to bring transparency and accountability to systemic issues that our city is facing. The information we bring to light empower policymakers and the people to create change. 🌳 — LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia (@lacontroller) July 21, 2023
PREVIOUSLY: LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia revealed in a tweet Wednesday that no permit was pulled to trim the now-infamous Ficus trees outside of Universal’s Gate 8.
He added in a thread that “The City of LA’s Urban Forestry Division (UFD) will coordinate w/ StreetsLA’s Investigation & Enforcement Division (IED) to confirm if this case warrants the issuance of an administrative citation or hearing. If issued, the administrative citation fee starts at $250.”
Mejia had previously tweeted that the trees — which had provided shade for picketers during the ongoing strike before they were pruned over the weekend — are LA City managed street trees.
With cooperation from the Bureau of Street Services, we have found that no tree trimming permits have been issued over the last three years for this location outside Universal Studios.
Also, the City did not issue any tree trimming permits for the latest tree trimmings. https://t.co/8ge7LElRao pic.twitter.com/JChoiNvHhW — LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia (@lacontroller) July 19, 2023
After members of the WGA discovered the thinned-out trees and made a stink via social media, the studio provided tents for additional shade.
Tents courtesy of NBCU pic.twitter.com/1tfj8e5Xeo — Writers Guild Foundation (@WritersGuildF) July 19, 2023
City Controller Kenneth Mejia has vowed to look into the newly pruned ficus trees outside of Universal’s Gate 8, after picketers drew attention to their thinned branches while marching in 90-degree-plus heat. Pine trees on the opposite side of Barham weren’t touched, and neither were a row of pepper trees behind the Universal fence near the production gate.
In a series of Tweets Tuesday, Mejia said his office is investigating what happened to the Ficuses on Burham Boulevard, which he said are “LA City managed street trees.” WGA picketers drew attention to their thinned out ranks on Monday. Universal owned up to trimming them but said in a statement it was done for “safety reasons” though it “has created unintended challenges for demonstrators, that was not our intention.”
“Trees are essential to providing Angelenos with significant environmental and public health benefits, especially during a heatwave,” Mejia said in a tweet. “Public Works’ Bureau of Street Services (StreetsLA) is responsible for maintaining the City’s 700,000+ trees in the public right-of-way.”
He went on to say in a thread that “code enforcement for street trees (including the pruning or removal of trees without a permit) is the responsibility of the StreetsLA Investigation and Enforcement Division. Violations can result in code enforcement citations.”
Our Office is investigating the tree trimming that occurred outside Universal Studios where workers, writers, and actors are exercising their right to picket.
The trimmed trees are LA City managed street trees.
(Before and after photos below) pic.twitter.com/xczw0bTdh9 — LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia (@lacontroller) July 19, 2023
Separately, the fight over the studio’s construction on Lankershim Boulevard and its impact on the ongoing strike just got even bigger: The WGA and SAG-AFTRA today filed complaints with the National Labor Relations Board over the lack of safe pathways available for union members to picket.
“Within the past six months, [NBCUniversal Media] has interfered with, coerced, and restrained employees in the exercise of their rights under Section 7 of the [National Labor Relations] Act,” the Writers Guild of America, West, said in its filing (read it here).
Said interference includes but is not limited to “interfering with lawful picketing activity by designating as picketing locations areas where the public sidewalks have been covered up with construction fencing, forcing picketers to patrol in busy streets with significant car traffic where two picketers have already been struck by a car and by refusing to provide K-rail barriers to establish pedestrian walkways for picketers to use after Los Angeles Police Department advised the employer weeks ago in the interest of public safety to do so.”
SAG-AFTRA’s complaint reads in part: “On or around Thursday, July 13, 2023, the employer, through its agents and managers, instructed SAG-AFTRA to send its members to picket at the unsafe crowded location, exacerbating the dire public safety situation to interfere with striking members’ right to engage in the protected, concerted activity of picketing and patrolling outside the employer’s premises during a lawful strike.” Read the full filing here.
RELATED: Dispatches From The Picket Lines: David Duchovny Joins ‘The X-Files’ Reunion As Rosario Dawson, Kaitlyn Dever & Hilary Duff Strike For “Fair” Deal On Residuals & AI
In response, an NBCUniversal spokesperson released this statement today: “We are aware of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA complaints. We strongly believe that the company has fulfilled our legal obligations under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and we will cooperate with respect to any inquiries by the National Labor Relations Board on this issue. While we understand the timing of our multi-year construction project has created challenges for demonstrators, we continue to work with public agencies to increase access. We support the unions’ rights to demonstrate safely.”
The WGAW filing also cited “the egregious and flagrant nature of the employer’s illegal conduct and the irreparable harm, including the threat of bodily harm, caused by the above-mentioned violations of the Act.”
Erik Pedersen contributed to this report.
angels_exist_666 on July 22nd, 2023 at 21:09 UTC »
Yeah, they got theirs. 🙄
vincebarnes on July 22nd, 2023 at 16:23 UTC »
Wow, that will teach them.
Neo2199 on July 22nd, 2023 at 16:02 UTC »