Councilmember asks fire department to inspect overgrown palm trees residents fear could spark a wildfire

The Poway Unified School District says it is reviewing the conditions of a Rancho Bernardo elementary school surrounded by dozens of untrimmed palm trees that residents fear could fuel a wildfire following an ABC 10News report Monday."If the school district owns the property, take responsibility, get rid of the trees," said Priyanka Jain, who lives near Westwood Elementary School.In Jains backyard, there are two giant leaning palm trees that she believes are at risk of falling over."I don't send my kid outside to play at all. That is how worried I am," she said. Jain is one of several residents whove come forward with concerns about the trees, which the Poway Unified School District confirms are located on its property, after ABC 10News aired a report on Monday about the issue."I hope no one's smoking outside.

I hope no one has like barbecue or anything lit up there because even a spark can cause everything (to) go ablaze," Jain said.District cites 1974 arrangementThe district has been locked in a years-long debate with two Westwood homeowners associations over who should pay to trim the shaggy overgrown palms that are filled with dry fronds.The district is actively reviewing the current conditions on the property and evaluating appropriate next steps. We remain committed to collaborating with the HOA on a practical resolution, Poway Unified School spokesman Josu Reyna said Wednesday. Candace Baker, the community manager for Westwood Townhouses Management Corporation, told us Poway Unified has refused to budge on its position that the HOA is responsible for trimming the trees.

She said the district continues to cite a 1974 agreement between a developer and the district that puts the HOA on the hook for maintenance.ABC 10News asked Reyna to provide us with a copy of the agreement.