Bankers Hill pine trees in flight path set to be removed
Dante Ulanday - News Moderator 
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- Residents of Bankers Hill in San Diego are facing the removal of three Canary Island Pine trees deemed a danger to air traffic at Lindbergh Field.
The trees, located under the flight path, have been identified by the FAA as too tall and posing a potential threat to air traffic safety. Homeowners had initially obtained a temporary cease and desist order in hopes of saving the trees, but the injunction has expired, leaving them with no options.
"The trees provide shade and clean the air," said a Bankers Hill resident, expressing concern over their removal.
Bankers Hill is directly under the flight path of Lindbergh Field, which subjects the neighborhood to constant air traffic noise. To mitigate this, the San Diego Quieter Homes program offers free soundproofing for homes and condos near the airport.
During the application process for soundproofing, homeowners were informed that the Canary Island Pine trees on their property were considered a hazard by the FAA. This announcement came as a surprise to residents, who were not consulted prior to the decision.
This is not the first instance of tree removal due to air traffic concerns. A similar situation occurred in Ocean Beach, where historic palm trees were removed against the will of the community, following claims they posed a danger to air traffic control.
Residents in Golden Hill have encountered difficulties similar to those in Bankers Hill, as they struggle with the financial burden of legal battles over tree removal.
As the Canary Island Pine trees are set to be removed, residents are left to cope with the loss of greenery and the ongoing noise from overhead flights, while the soundproofing program continues to offer some relief.
All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KSWB. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KSWB staff before being published.
