San Francisco city leaders unanimously granted landmark status to a tall, slender pine tree that a San Francisco property owner wants to cut down but that neighbors rallied to save.
Tuesday's vote protects a Norfolk pine hybrid in a private backyard. One expert says the tree isn't rare in California but not abundant in San Francisco.
Neighbors and others have been trying to save the tree for a year, saying the pine is an important part of the street's landscape. A biology professor says the tall tree probably provides a resting spot for raptors and other birds making their way to Golden Gate Park.
An attorney for the homeowner said it's an ordinary pine that poses problems for the home's infrastructure. She says granting it landmark status would be a severe infringement on private property rights.
