The Windsor Square Association has proposed the following no-nonsense plan for the ficus trees on Larchmont Boulevard:

  1. No Larchmont Boulevard Ficus tree will be removed unless it is dead, diseased or dangerous; nor will be removed because of sidewalk damage, unless the adjacent sidewalk is first lifted or removed to allow root inspection and pruning, supervised by a certified arborist paid by the responsible party.
  2. The responsible party will pay for removal of any such tree, grinding its stump and removing its roots from the underlying soil, supervised by a certified arborist.
  3. The responsible party will pay for and forthwith replace any such tree with at least a 36” boxed size Saratoga Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis ‘Saratoga’) after sidewalk repair, if needed, paid for by the responsible party. 
Replacement trees shall be planted in the largest possible sidewalk cut outs and in soil approved by a certified arborist.
  4. After planting, high-quality, uniform metal grates paid for by the responsible party will be installed to make the sidewalk more walkable.
  5. The responsible party will be responsible for maintenance of any Ficus tree or replacement tree, including automated irrigation and/or hand-watering, fertilizing, staking, shaping and pruning pursuant to a protocol approved by a certified arborist.