Leave the palm trees alone!

Palm trees get a bum wrap these days. People say they don't provide shade, they aren't native to Los Angeles, they use too much water etc. But I think palm trees can sometimes play a role in defining public space and the "outdoor room" on the street and they make good accent trees. And certain types of palms, when clustered together can provide a decent amount of shade. In the example below the enclosed mall does not front on (or interact with) the sidewalk. The palm trees on this block help to make up for that lack of building frontage and provide a comforting sense of enclosure for pedestrians. They also add height and visual interest. It would of course be better if the building opened to the the sidewalk rather than relying on a landscaping band-aid. (Side note: That bus stop blocks the entire sidewalk and should be moved a few feet into the landscaped area.)

Who says palm trees don't provide shade?

Palm trees sometimes get a bumb rap, but if the right type of palm is planted correctly it can filter the sunlight nicely. And filtering the sunlight is really all that's necessary. It's not necessary to create a solid shaded canopy to make walking a pleasant experience. You just have to soften the effects of the sun.