68 replies to this topic

[YabYum]

My sentiments, exactly.  I CAN'T STAND big palm trees in areas where they would never naturally occur.  What would be so bad about incorporating some of Northern California's beautiful oaks into some of the plans around here? This is not San Diego, Hawaii, or Palm Springs and IMO palm treej just plain look out of place here.

while i agree with most of what you're saying: Palm trees were also not native in So Cal, but that's what they are known for, isnt' it? Everytime you see a movie that was filmed in L.A., palm trees are predominate in the scenery.

also, regarding Oak trees: yes, they are nice on the eyes, but did you know that Oak trees also release pollution into the air, and are responsible for a large percentage of our smog problem?

It sounds like I may be the only one here who is not excited about this new mall & highrise condo project.  Considering how many people on these boards are continually fighting to try to keep the "small town charm" of Folsom intact, I'm surprised that so many are so quick to drop that principle as soon as the opportunity to spend money at a mall presents itself.  Personally, I fear that we're moving more and more toward a Roseville type of city and further away from the historic, small town feel of Folsom.

once again, i feel your pain. however, i think this same scene is being played out in small towns nationwide. Welcome to the new, sterile, vanilla, homogenized Amerika. Home of the (Less-than) Free and (less-than) Brave, with SUV-preferred-parking at every Box Store/strip mall parking lot.

[Orangetj]

Thanks for the correction about palm trees in L.A.. I guess, retrospectively I can see that you're absolutely right. DANGED PALM TREES ARE TAKING OVER!

I think it's ironic that a person almost has to go to the "big city" now to find a little uniqueness in restaurants, shops, architecture, etc. IMO, there's a more tight-knit, community feeling in many of Midtown Sacramento's older neighborhoods than Folsom could hope to have. It's fun to be able to walk around and see the little family run stores and the non-chain restaurants. The truth is that if I'm able to afford to live where I want to live in the city, I may end up moving back there in 10 years or so.

[Cloud9]

Why 10yrs? not 5 or 15?

[Orangetj]

"also, regarding Oak trees: yes, they are nice on the eyes, but did you know that Oak trees also release pollution into the air, and are responsible for a large percentage of our smog problem?"

I've never heard such a thing. Can you elaborate?

[Snickers]

Yuck... time to move..

[Orangetj]

What 10yrs?  not 5 or 15? 

Well it could be 11.2 to 11.4! Heck, I dunno. I'm just really frustrated with Folsom right now. The truth is that I DO like it here, it just seems like a lot of what has been great about Folsom is being sold out. Traffic is bad, with no reprieve on the horizon. Development seems to be a religion that our city practices fervently. Every day I run into more and more people who seem to think they're superior to everybody else, just because they live here. The cushion of open space between Folsom and the rest of the world is being gnawed away. Folsom residents would rather speed through a neighborhood and put the lives of the neighborhood's residents at risk than spend 2 minutes taking an alternate route. And so on, ad nauseum. That's the nature of progress, I know, I guess I'm just young enough that I never really paid much attention to it before. I'm just in a funk today...I'm sure I'll get over it.

[Cloud9]

Where would you go? Isn't Sac much of the same?

[Snickers]

Why can't we stick with native vegetation instead of importing palm trees and sycamores!?  We allow development to tear down the old, established oaks and then replace them with non-native junk plants!!

EXACTLY! What happened to this nice little town...

Palm trees in the middle of no-where? What's up with that? STTTOOOOOOOOPPIIIiiiiiiddd!

Palm trees belong in Hawaii and San Diego, you know... near the beach! Or wherever their native area is... not on a hill.

Crazy developers... Worse YET, why did the council approve this B.S.?

Could it be, because they want to recreate the bay area.. with all it's problems?

Sheesh, time to move again.

[Orangetj]

Where would you go?  Isn't Sac much of the same?

Depends where you live in Sacramento. I'd have no interest in living in the Watt/Howe/Arden area, but much of midtown is actually very "small town" in feel. Quiet, tree-lined streets. Quaint homes with timeless architectural character. Old shops with grouchy, eccentric, friendly, colorful shopkeepers. Excellent Restaurants that you can walk to on a nice summer evening. It definitely has it's perks. The three primary downsides to me are:

1.) I love to ride my motorcycle in the foothills, and I have to spend an extra 30 minutes on boring roads just to get to the good stuff.

2.) I work in Folsom so I've gotten spoiled to having a 5 minute commute!

3.) There are LOTS of homeless people constantly begging for your money everywhere you go.

[YabYum]

"also, regarding Oak trees: yes, they are nice on the eyes, but did you know that Oak trees also release pollution into the air, and are responsible for a large percentage of our smog problem?"

I've never heard such a thing.  Can you elaborate?

http://www.sactaqc.org/Resources/Literature/AirQuality/Smog_foothill_trees.htm

[forumreader]

Another NO vote on palm trees.

This is not Southern California. Terry is right about the mess that they can create after a significant storm.

[Cloud9]

Depends where you live in Sacramento.  I'd have no interest in living in the Watt/Howe/Arden area, but much of midtown is actually very "small town" in feel.  Quiet, tree-lined streets.  Quaint homes with timeless architectural character.  Old shops with grouchy, eccentric, friendly, colorful shopkeepers.  Excellent Restaurants that you can walk to on a nice summer evening.  It definitely has it's perks.  The three primary downsides to me are:

1.) I love to ride my motorcycle in the foothills, and I have to spend an extra 30 minutes on boring roads just to get to the good stuff.

2.) I work in Folsom so I've gotten spoiled to having a 5 minute commute!

3.) There are LOTS of homeless people constantly begging for your money everywhere you go.

Aren't those homes just as expensive?

[Orangetj]

Aren't those homes just as expensive?

Sure they are. Expense wasn't one of my complaints. I'm willing to pay to play!

[YabYum]

3.) There are LOTS of homeless people constantly begging for your money everywhere you go.

um....so the solution is to just keep your eyes averted as you move further and further away from the heart of the city?

[Orangetj]

http://www.sactaqc.org/Resources/Literature/AirQuality/Smog_foothill_trees.htm

Fascinating stuff. Doesn't make me want Palm trees, though! Seriously, though, I'm a little skeptical of the inferences thay make in the article, such as traffic is not related to smog. They make this assertion based on the fact that smog in Cool is high even though they have little traffic. The problem with this assertion is that it is entirely feasible that the car-produced smog has simply blown up the hill and "landed" in Cool.