At a recent meeting, the Dana Point City Council moved to explore implementing the second phase of a multi-stage plan designed to protect the city's palm trees from a fatal infestation. The council also directed city staff to gather community feedback on the importance of the palms to residents prior to final budget decisions.
The initiative addresses the threat posed by South American Palm Weevils, an invasive insect species that has been detected within Dana Point at both the Nature Interpretive Center and Sunset Park. These beetles are fatal to palm trees because their larvae burrow into the heart of the palm. Infestations are often untraceable until the tree shows signs of collapse, at which point the plant releases more beetles, spreading the problem to nearby palms. Once an infestation begins, the trees cannot be treated; therefore, prevention through insecticide injections and topical sprays is the only viable option.
The beetles primarily target Canary Island Date Palms, of which Dana Point has 331. However, after exhausting these, the insects can move on to other species, including the city's more than 500 Fan Palms and Queen Palms. According to a Dana Point city staff report, the weevils have been spreading from San Diego County since 2011, with University of California researchers estimating approximately 20,000 trees have been killed by the insects.
In July, Dana Point City Council members voted to initiate a treatment program for 98 palms and instructed staff to develop a phased approach for the remaining trees. Following that meeting, the city prioritized palms for treatment based on factors such as heritage status, size, age, proximity to infested trees, and potential public safety hazards if the tree were to fall. This prioritization also guided the phases, outlining which trees should receive treatment and which could be monitored using traps, an effort estimated to cost $6,780 annually.
Phase One, which was approved at the July 21 meeting, specifically targets 98 Capistrano Beach heritage palms, with an estimated annual cost of $68,745. Phase Two, conceptually approved at the most recent meeting, would treat up to half of the city’s Canary Date Palms, numbering approximately 166 trees, at an estimated yearly cost of $116,994. Further proposed phases include Phase Three, which would treat about 75%, or 248 trees (including those from Phase One), costing an estimated $173,087 annually, and Phase Four, which would cover all 331 Canary Island Date Palms in the city for an estimated $227,314 yearly.
City officials noted at the July meeting that these cost estimates were not based on contractor quotes, suggesting that the total price could increase. Council Member Jamey Federico, speaking at the July 21 meeting, described the situation as a “long term structural budget issue,” emphasizing that the city must either commit to protecting these trees or accept potential losses. Council members also considered the alternative of allowing affected trees to die and then removing and replacing them. The removal of a dead tree is estimated at $2,500 each, while replacing a larger tree could cost $30,000. Removing all 331 Canary Island Date Palms, if they were all to die, would incur a one-time cost of approximately $827,500.
During the recent meeting, Councilmember Mike Frost commented that the city should determine the priority level of these palm trees, stating, "I would just like to pump the brakes for a little bit." Ultimately, the council decided to consider implementing Phase Two during the upcoming budget review period and to have city staff collect community feedback to assess resident sentiment regarding the importance of the palm trees.
The next steps involve the city's budget review process and the collection of community input to inform future decisions on the palm tree preservation plan.
