The city is working to clean up the hundreds of palm fronds that have littered local streets since a massive storm hit Long Beach on Sunday.
Following an initial storm that doused the city last Thursday, a second wave of heavy rain brought high-speed winds of up to 50 miles per hour, knocking fronds off trees which have the obstructed public right-of-way, particularly in areas of Downtown and Second Street in Belmont Shore where palm trees line main corridors and local streets.
The city’s Public Works department is working to clear major roads of fallen fronds due to “extreme weather conditions” and other debris and unclogging storm drains to help prevent flooding, said Joy Contreras, spokesperson for Public Works.
Once the rain passes, their team will clean up the rest of the palm fronds and also make note of hotspots for fallen branches for future trimming schedules and storm preparations, said Contreras.
Long Beach tends to its trees on a grid system, trimming trees in certain parts of the city every year outside of “observed nesting season (Oct. 1 to Dec. 31) in coastal regions,” Contreras told the Post in a text message.
Palm trees are trimmed about every two years, Contreras said, adding that they were trimmed last year.
Residents who need to report damage to cars or other private property by fallen branches or fronds from public trees can call Public Works at 562-570-2700, to request assistance. Residents can also file a claim with the city attorney’s office, and liabilities will be determined on a case by case basis, she said.
Since Sunday, Long Beach has gotten nearly 6 inches of rain as of Tuesday afternoon, according to John Dumas, a forecaster with the National Weather Service. The city is under a flood watch advisory until 4 p.m.
Long Beach has already seen the worst of the storm, but residents should still expect rain through the end of Tuesday, tapering off to light showers and a slight chance for thunderstorms on Wednesday. Thursday and Friday will bring a 20 to 30% chance of rain.
More information on Long Beach’s Public Works department can be found here.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with more information about when palm trees were trimmed in the city last and where residents can report damaged property.