LOS ANGELES, CA — Universal Pictures will pay a small fine after Los Angeles officials determined the studio broke city law when it trimmed trees lining Barham Boulevard, ones that had been providing shade to picketing actors and writers.
LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia on Friday said that StreetsLA will fine Universal $250, which is the standard amount for a first-time offense of trimming city-owned trees without a permit. Mejia on Twitter also used the occasion to highlight how “the system isn’t working as intended.” With only 12 inspectors in charge of 700,000 city trees, and tiny fines limited by law, city officials are unable to proactively protect shade trees, Mejia said.
INVESTIGATION 🌳 UPDATE:
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Outdated laws limit penalties the City can issue.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
At issue are a row of ficus trees planted on the sidewalk along Barham Boulevard, outside one of Universal’s gates. Striking actors and writers arrived at the area Monday morning to find that they previously dense tree canopy had been drastically reduced on one side of the street — making the picket line much more hostile as temperatures hovered around 90 degrees.