Podiatrist in Rancho Bernardo, CA

New rules in place for care, sale and disposal of trees within zone

The recent discovery of citrus trees in Rancho Bernardo’s Westwood neighborhood with the bacterial disease Huanglongbing means a 95-square-mile area in north inland San Diego has been placed under quarantine.

The result — drastic changes to how residents throughout Rancho Bernardo, Poway, 4S Ranch and adjacent communities within the quarantine zone can tend to their citrus trees and dispose of clippings. It also impacts the availability to purchase citrus trees for residential yards, according to state agricultural officials.

Huanglongbing — referred to as HLB — was first detected in California in Los Angeles in 2012. Since then it has been found in more than 450 trees throughout the state, mostly in Orange County, according to Victoria Hornbaker, director of the Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Division with the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

HLB-infected citrus trees were found in Oceanside in 2021 and that area has been under a quarantine ever since. HLB is spread by the Asian citrus psyllid when the insect feeds on citrus trees.

“Trained staff has been looking at citrus trees for symptoms or to collect insects,” Hornbaker said. “These are sent to a lab in Sacramento to analyze for bacteria.”

There will not likely be an end to the HLB quarantine, unlike when one was imposed in the Rancho Bernardo area about 14 years ago due to the presence of the Mediterranean fruit fly. That was based on a limited number of fly life cycles, Hornbaker said. In contrast, there is no way to eradicate HLB once it is present in an area.

She said risk survey teams go door-to-door in communities asking residents if they can check their trees, which is how an infected lime tree was found in the Westwood neighborhood. The case was confirmed on Jan. 25, and since then four more infected trees within a 250-meter radius of the first tree have been confirmed.

“For the most part, folks have been quite accommodating because they understand why citrus is important to California,” Hornbaker said.

The quarantine zone, announced by county officials on Feb. 7, is bordered on the north by the intersection of Interstate 15 and Auto Park Way in Escondido, to the south by Poway Road, to the west by Via de las Flores in Rancho Santa Fe and to the east by Lake Ramona. A map of the zone is viewable at tinyurl.com/citrus-hlb.

While it was discovered in a lime tree, Hornbaker said HLB infects and eventually kills all types of citrus trees, including orange, grapefruit, kumquat, lemon and tangerine.

“There is no cure once infected. The tree will die over time,” she said. “The fruit ends up being inedible and rancid tasting.”

Because the bacteria invades the tree’s vascular system, Hornbaker said it essentially starves the tree. She compared it to a clot in a human vein. If the tree is infected it must be removed in order to limit spread to other trees. If not removed, tree death occurs within two to five years.

HLB is not harmful to people or animals, she said.

Trees not yet infected by HLB but found to have the Asian citrus psyllid on them can be treated with organic and conventional pesticides to kill the insect. These spray treatments can be purchased at local home and garden stores and plant nurseries. Treatments need to be applied every three to six months.

Residents are not to move citrus plants, leaves or foliage into or out of the quarantine area, Hornbaker said. If they have an “unloved” tree — one they no longer want — they are asked to consider removing it, but must follow specific measures, she said.

To dispose of the tree with residential green waste recycling, residents need to first cut the tree up and let the branches dry out in their yard for a few weeks so the insect nymphs die or mature insects leave the tree before disposal. This way the mulch created from the tree will not be contaminated.

If the tree is being thrown out in black trash bins as part of the regular trash collection, branches and leaves need to be bagged in order to contain the nymphs, Hornbaker said.

Symptoms showing that trees are infected with HLB include blotchy yellow spots on leaves, asymmetrical leaves, shoots that are completely yellow and excessive dropped fruit.

All cases of HLB in California have been found on residential trees and not in commercial tree-growing operations largely due to the vigilance used by those growing citrus trees for commercial purposes, Hornbaker said.

The quarantine means home and garden stores and plant nurseries within the zone will no longer be able to sell citrus trees unless they are kept within a screened location, Hornbaker said.

Walter Andersen Nursery on Danielson Court in Poway is just outside the quarantine zone, said Ken Andersen, president and CEO. This means that for now it can continue selling citrus trees, but the company is changing some of its policies.

“Company-wide all sales are now final because if (customers) are in the zone they can’t bring (the trees) back,” Andersen said.

The trees also need to be planted within 48 hours so they permanently stay at a location.

Cuttings cannot be brought to the store anymore, he said. In the past, customers could bring in a branch cutting to show staff what is happening with their tree in order to get advice on how to best care for it. Now, they can only bring in detailed photos.

The nursery’s trees come from growers who treat their trees prior to shipment. Andersen said his stores in Poway and the Midway District of San Diego will still be able to deliver trees because the company has an enclosed vehicle.

If the quarantine zone is expanded to include the area where the nursery is located, Andersen said his company will need to consider the increased cost to continue selling citrus trees.

“We do not have a screened facility at this time, so if in the zone, what does it cost to invest in one versus the loss we will have by not selling citrus trees,” Andersen said. “Is it worth the investment?”

Citrus trees are popular year-round and sales skyrocketed during the pandemic because people wanted to grow fruit in their yards, he said. That led to the supply of trees running out, something that is just now returning to pre-pandemic levels.

“When you run out of your crop of citrus it takes years to recover,” Andersen said, noting it takes several years to grow a tree to the size appropriate for sale.

Hornbaker said commercial growers who supply citrus to local farmers markets, such as those at Old Poway Park and Bernardo Winery, will be allowed to continue selling the fruit if they take precautions. These include transporting only the fruit, with stems and leaves removed at the site where grown, and cleaning the fruit before bringing to market.

“Those at farmers markets are working with our team and have a compliance agreement,” Hornbaker said. “The fruit itself will not spread the bacteria. It is the insects. So clean fruit is OK.”

The same standards will apply for those collecting citrus for area food banks.

Jane Radatz, who oversees the Backyard Produce Project, said the organization’s tree picking teams have been cleared by state agriculture officials to continue collecting fruit from trees within the quarantine zone because the volunteers will follow protocols. However, the group can no longer accept donations of citrus fruit from residents who harvest it themselves because it will not be known what procedures have been followed.

“We’re really trying to continue accommodating them even when there is a quarantine,” Hornbaker said.

Radatz said the Backyard Produce Project, established in 2009, contributes fresh fruits and vegetables to around 20 food distribution sites for low-income families and seniors within the Poway Unified School District boundaries.

The quarantine will not impact the project’s volunteer-tended 6,000-square-foot garden at Poway Gardens Senior Living on Monte Vista Road because it only has non-citrus fruit trees. These include apples, pears and plums, which are not affected by the Asian citrus psyllid.

According to Radatz, the garden does not have citrus trees because they are very popular among residents in the Poway and Rancho Bernardo area, so donations of citrus have always been plentiful.

Anyone wanting to donate homegrown fruits harvested from their trees by volunteers can request a picking team come to their home. Contact Linda Bouchard at 858-722-2179 or sboucha1@san.rr.com.

Those with citrus trees in their yards are asked to report trees that seem to be sick or dying by contacting the San Diego Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures at 760-752-4700 or visit sdcawm.org.

Residents can also call CDFA’s toll free Pest Hotline at 800-491-1899 or visit cdfa.ca.gov/plant/acp.

More information on pests, disease and how to protect citrus trees can also be found at CaliforniaCitrusThreat.org.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture is declaring a citrus quarantine in a 95-square-mile area to try and save San Diego’s citrus crop.

SAN DIEGO — A plant disease that kills citrus trees has been discovered in Rancho Bernardo. The California Department of Food and Agriculture is declaring a citrus quarantine in a 95-square-mile area to try and save San Diego’s citrus crop.

For the first time, residential citrus trees in Rancho Bernardo tested positive for an incurable plant disease called Huanglongbing or HLB, that infects and kills all citrus trees.

This isn’t is the first time the deadly plant disease has been detected in San Diego County, but it is the first detection within the City of San Diego.

HLB was first confirmed in San Diego County in 2021 in Oceanside.

HLB can be spread by a small pest called the Asian citrus psyllid. It feeds on leaves and stems of citrus trees and spreads the bacteria from tree to tree. HLB is not harmful to humans or animals, but once a tree is infected, it will die and must be removed.

To limit the spread of HLB, a citrus plant quarantine is currently in place throughout portions of San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties.

The Rancho Bernardo detections created a new HLB quarantine area, including parts of Rancho Bernardo, 4S Ranch, Rancho Santa Fe, Rancho Peñasquitos, Black Market Ranch, Carmel Mountain Ranch, Poway and Escondido.

Credit: CBS 8

If you live within the quarantine area:

The HLB citrus plant quarantine prohibits the transport and movement of citrus plants and material to prevent the spread of the deadly disease.

The manager at Armstrong Nursery off Carmel Mountain Road told CBS 8 that crews came in and removed all its citrus trees.

Another local nursery, about a mile outside the quarantine area says the new discovery changes the way it does business. It can no longer warranty citrus trees.

In fact, the nursery owner says if someone wants a citrus tree on their property, they need to get it now because citrus trees will become harder to get as the quarantine sets in.

The first Asian Citrus Psyllid was found in California in San Diego in 2008.

Related Articles

WATCH RELATED: Decaying trees were reported but ignored before recent parade of strong winds (Jan. 2023).

HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET CBS 8:

THE California Department of Food and Agriculture has declared a new citrus quarantine in a 95 square-mile area of Rancho Bernardo after detecting a potentially threatening citrus tree disease during routine inspections.

The bacterial disease, known as Huanglongbing (HLB), is a major threat to San Diego’s $115 million annual citrus crop. Trees infected with HLB can produce mishappen, bitter fruit and the disease can eventually kill the tree.

This new quarantine comes after HLB was found in a residential lime tree in the area and is in addition to the existing HLB quarantine in the city of Oceanside. It covers the area bordered on the north by the intersection of I-15 and Auto Park Way; to the south by Poway Road; to the west by Via De Las Flores; and to the east by Lake Ramona. The maps for this HLB quarantine are available at https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/citrus/pests_diseases/hlb/regulation.html.

The intent of the quarantine is to protect the region’s food supply and support the agricultural economy and environmental sustainability by restricting people and businesses from moving citrus nursery stock, plant parts and fruit outside the quarantine boundaries and off their properties. The only exception is for agricultural businesses that must adhere to specific requirements for treatment, cleaning, and packing commercial fruit prior to movement.

HLB is not harmful to people or animals but could be devastating to the county’s citrus industry. The disease is spread by the Asian citrus psyllids, tiny insects that can carry the bacterium when they feed on citrus trees.

“Unfortunately, Huanglongbing is fatal to citrus,” said San Diego Agricultural Commissioner Ha Dang. “Our goal is to prevent this disease from spreading any further. By working together, we can all protect our food supply, local agriculture, and environment from this devasting disease.”

The County Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures is partnering with state and federal regulators to limit the impact on the public and help prevent the spread of the disease. County and state officials will work with residents in the affected area to arrange for treatment of citrus trees as a protective measure against the disease.

County officials are also proactively notifying local citrus growers, plant nurseries and other related businesses.

Samples from trees on the affected property and the surrounding area are undergoing tests for HLB. If HLB is detected in additional citrus trees in the quarantine area, state agricultural officials will follow up with treatment and removal of the infected trees.

Residents in the quarantine area are urged to take the following steps:

Residents can also call CDFA’s toll free Pest Hotline at (800) 491-1899 or visit cdfa.ca.gov/plant/acp.

(Katie Cadiao/County of San Diego Communications Office) n

Eighteen state senators from across California are urging the Department of Insurance to provide a lifeline to a growing number of condominium homeowners associations struggling to find affordable property insurance due to wildfire risk.

The lawmakers, led by Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, co-signed a letter on Feb. 6 calling for Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara to use his executive authority to boost the California FAIR Plan commercial coverage limits from $8.4 million to $20 million. The increase aims to provide relief for some condominium HOAs near canyons or open spaces that have seen rising insurance premiums for less coverage.

“Constituents have reported special assessments of thousands of dollars per year, and in some cases, premiums of nearly $1,000 per unit, per month just to maintain the master policy of their housing development,” wrote the legislators. “This is an untenable situation, potentially affecting millions of California homeowners.”

The FAIR Plan is a pooled risk program backed by all state-licensed property insurers. Its goal is to provide a temporary safety net of basic fire coverage when regular insurance becomes hard to find in the marketplace.

Jan. 5, 2023

That is increasingly the case for suburban condominium complexes that have been deemed vulnerable to wildfires — including several in San Diego County.

In January, Farmers Insurance declined to renew the property policy for Morada, a 338-unit condo community in Rancho Bernardo. Under last year’s policy, the HOA bought $73 million in coverage for $133,000.

When the association shopped for a replacement policy this year, the best it could cobble together was $10 million in coverage on the secondary insurance market for $885,000 a year.

Morada’s HOA has explored bringing its coverage level up to $80 million — roughly equivalent to last year’s policy given increased construction costs. The premium price tag would be $2.68 million.

That would require a special assessment on average of $8,000 per unit for Morada’s homeowners — many of whom are young families or seniors living on fixed incomes, according to a letter that an HOA board member posted on the Morada’s online chat site.

“Obviously, we are in a bad position unless we can find some other way” to secure insurance, said Sam Spooner, 85, a resident at Morada for more than a decade who is not on the HOA board. “Eight thousand dollars per unit. That is a stab in the gut right there.”

The HOA has yet to decide on whether to increase its coverage amount. But there are potential downsides to being underinsured, including making it more difficult for homeowners to sell. Lenders may balk at approving mortgages for potential buyers unless they purchase expensive, additional coverage on their own.

Morada isn’t alone. Last year, Farmers declined to renew property coverage for Canyon Park Villas, a 240-condo community in Mira Mesa, because of wildfire concerns. Its HOA was unable to find a replacement policy from state-sanctioned insurers — such as Farmers, State Farm, Travelers, AllState and Nationwide, among others. So, the HOA sought out coverage on the secondary or surplus market, which has much higher premiums.

Business

Feb. 9, 2023

The result: Canyon Park Villas annual insurance bill went from $47,000 for $50 million in coverage under Farmers to $600,000 for $10 million in coverage from Lloyds of London and Axis — a 13-fold increase.

To pay for the insurance hike, the HOA enacted a $2,500 emergency special assessment in October on condo owners.

Villa Monterey in Tierrasanta also has been impacted, according to CBS 8. And a 220-unit condominium HOA in the San Marcos area, whose president asked not to be identified for privacy concerns after consulting with legal counsel, said his community also wasn’t renewed by its state-licensed insurer and had to find coverage on the secondary market — boosting its annual premiums from about $40,000 to $900,000.

Though they’re residential, condominiums are typically covered with commercial insurance. Increasing the FAIR Plan commercial coverage limit to $20 million could help some condo HOAs during the current market turmoil, though not the larger communities. The step is not considered a permanent fix, according to the letter that lawmakers sent to the insurance commissioner.

“We recognize that this is a partial and temporary solution that must be paired with continued statewide efforts to mitigate wildfire risk and improve the availability of insurance in the traditional marketplace,” wrote the lawmakers, including Sen. Steve Padilla, D-Chula Vista. “However, this action is urgently needed to prevent further displacement and protect homeowners throughout the state.”

In a statement and Twitter post, Lara said he appreciates the Legislature’s support for his continued efforts to modernize the FAIR Plan to meet new challenges.

“Insurance is about safety and, hearing from homeowners and businesses, we are creating lasting solutions to protect Californians from climate change,” said Lara. “Expanded coverage options for HOAs and community associations, including a stronger FAIR Plan, is a top priority for my new term. We have to hold insurance companies accountable to covering Californians. We want them to be part of the solution, not the problem, and work with us to protect homeowners and businesses.”

Condo residents said their policy was not renewed in 2023 due to wildfire risk.

SAN DIEGO — More condo owners are coming forward to report Farmers Insurance has not renewed their property insurance due to wildfire risk.

Residents in the 338-unit Morada condo complex may now be looking at thousands of dollars in special assessments to get insurance on the secondary market.

CBS 8 spoke to a Morada resident who did not want to be identified because he feared retaliation from Farmers Insurance.

“My wife and I have been here for more than a decade,” he said.

Because the condos are connected, the complex needs a single master property insurance policy of about $80 million.

Farmers canceled the policy for the entire complex, including coverage for wildfire damage.

“They have prepared some proprietary wildfire maps of their own, which they don't disclose. And it indicates that many of these condominium complexes are in extreme wildfire risk zones,” said the Morada resident.

The owner said the complex’s HOA found a temporary policy on the secondary market for the first quarter of 2023, but residents are worried the special assessment could be about $2,500; that’s on top of the $500 per month each condo owner pays in HOA fees.

“Right now, we have a policy because we have a mortgage. It's essential that we have a master policy in place that's going to cover wildfire damage, and the bank insists on that to have collateral for their mortgage,” said the resident.

Condo owners started contacting CBS 8 last month about Farmers Insurance canceling policies, including 320 condos in Tierrasanta, 240 condos in Rancho Penasquitos, and perhaps hundreds more across the state.

Because cancellations raise insurance costs, the price of housing also increases.

“So, this problem will, in my mind, create homelessness in the not-too-distant future,” the Morada resident said.

It’s a scary prospect for the resident and his wife, who are in their 80s and on a fixed income.

“We'll survive this year. But suppose it goes on and something is not done to resolve it. In that case, it's going to be a huge crisis throughout California that will result not only in the personal loss of units but, in the end, the failure of condominium communities themselves,” said the resident.

CBS 8 reached out to Farmers Insurance on more than one occasion but did not get a response.

State Assemblyman Brian Maienschein, who represents Rancho Bernardo, emailed CBS 8 the following statement:

“I hear the concerns of the community and share their frustrations. In a wildfire prone area like San Diego, having the security of property insurance is critical. I am actively working with the Insurance Commissioner’s office to find a solution that gives property owners peace of mind. In the meantime, I encourage those who have been affected to reach out to their Associations to express their concerns and file a complaint with the Department of Insurance.”

WATCH RELATED: Farmers Insurance cancels policies for 300+ homes in Tierrasanta