Why This Matters:
For over 50 years, the beautiful rose bushes in the park strip at 650 Trace Ave have been a beloved fixture of our neighborhood landscape. Recently, during a routine sidewalk concrete inspection, a city inspector flagged these mature roses as a safety hazard due to "thorny bushes" code restrictions and ordered their total removal with no path to appeal.

While we fully support keeping our San Jose sidewalks safe and are actively repairing the concrete cracks, tearing out healthy, decades-old landscaping that has a deep historical connection to our local heritage is entirely unnecessary. Moving these mature plants will likely kill them—though if forced, we will still try to save them.

Our Request to San Jose Code Enforcement:
We, the residents of the Cleveland Ave / Trace Ave community, ask the city to grant a variance or allow a reasonable compromise—such as pruning the bushes back safely—rather than forcing the destruction of a green space that brings joy to everyone who walks down our street.

The History Behind These Heritage Roses:
These specific roses carry immense local significance. They were originally planted by Beverly Rose Hopper, a prominent local figure who was heavily involved in supporting the San Jose Municipal Rose Garden—the very landmark our neighborhood is built around.

Many of the roses planted around our home, including the ones in the park strip, are heritage varieties directly tied to the municipal rose garden. These roses are not just landscaping; they are a living piece of San Jose's history and a cornerstone of our neighborhood's aesthetic identity. Forcing their removal would be a loss for the entire community.

More Pictures of the roses: https://photos.app.goo.gl/3o73P5rDCfAazVWQ9