'Shady Lane' residents fight to keep massive trees

KINGSBURG, Calif. (KFSN) -- Neighbors and homeowners are fighting to save more than 60 massive trees in an iconic neighborhood commonly called 'Shady Lane.'

An online push is now urging Kingsburg city leaders to be careful which, if any, trees are removed as road improvements are made.

66 huge camphor trees line 21st Ave. in Kingsburg. The trees cast a huge blanket of shade for what many say is an iconic street. "It's a beautiful shade canopy on a hot summer day like this," Mark Jones, who lives on 21st Avenue, said.

"We don't want to see one tree gone," Jones said. "This is a unique thing to this valley and to the city."

Jones and his wife Beverly are spearheading a campaign to save the trees. They worry that as the city gears up to repave the street in the future their trees could be uprooted, like they say has happened on adjacent streets.

"I just feel like if we don't voice our opinion that something could happen where some of the trees would be taken down," Beverly said.

They know the trees are causing problems. It's hard not to once you look down the extremely uneven sidewalks. In a few spots, the pavement is even lifting.

But for Mark, Beverly and their Facebook following of more than 300, they're up for a complete change. They'd even be willing to cut 21st Ave. to just one lane to give enough space for trees and level sidewalks.

"Mark and I are also absolutely willing to give up part of our property, if they needed that," Beverly said.

City Manager Alex Henderson says anything is on the table now, including input from homeowners, but there aren't any plans to uproot any trees. There is a plan to improve conditions on the street, it's just years down the road.

"I don't think anyone, certainly not my council or anyone on staff, has come in and said we're going to whitewash those trees by any means," Henderson said.

"We're willing to do our part, in any suggestion they have as long as they let us keep the trees," Beverly added.

City officials say they will hire an arborist, or an expert, to examine the massive trees to decide which, if any, would ever need to be removed.