Franklin Magnet School -Help Save Trees at Franklin

[Juli Black]

Hello Everyone!

Franklin Parent Mary Behar is asking for our Schools Help/Voice & would like us to support her and help save the Trees that are marked to be torn down at Franklin.

They are set to start cutting on June 2nd!

Questions?? Contact Mary

mbehar@gmail.com

Mary says the more people complain, the more difficult it will be for the city to go forward with these plans.

Public Works Engineering Division: (818) 548-3945

Project Manager: Saumil Mody: sm...@glendaleca.gov

AND 

Dennis H. Ambayec, P.E.

Deputy Director of Public Works/City Engineer

damb...@glendaleca.gov

 

Here is the letter Mary sent:

 

Mr. Ambayec:

I was outraged yesterday morning when seven oak trees right in front of my son's school were marked with an orange "x" and scheduled to be cut down. Our school is one short block away from the 5 freeway and we NEED all the trees we have. In fact our school is currently in the process of transforming the campus to be more green to offset the effects of the freeway's air pollution on our children's health. The city's decision to remove trees on our school block without the approval or input of the principal or the parents, the Benjamin Franklin Elementary Foundation or the neighbors is unacceptable.  

I will not allow this to go forward. I will get a small army of equally angry parents from my school to protest outside your office and chain ourselves to the trees if need-be.  

The school has been handling drop-off and pick-up seamlessly and safely as long as I have been there.  Adding another lane of traffic and removing 7 trees in the process would actually prove more dangerous to the pedestrians because it would make the walkway more narrow forcing parents with double strollers and parents holding two children at time into the street. 

Instead of removing our trees and shortening the sidewalks, maybe the city could redirect it's energy toward adding pedestrian sidewalks to the streets around the school. Or adding grass to the planted areas they are planning to destroy. 

Sincerely,

Mary Lee Behar 

CA Court Certified Interpreter 

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