What's really at stake is not only the oak trees but being able to ensure the safety of stadium visitors and to provide seismically retrofitted facilities for Cal athletes. But attempts to start earthquake-safe constructions have been put off by the convoluted legal situation.
The university should have extended a warmer invitation to the city to discuss design ideas, and more communication could have led to ways to adhere to seismic regulations. However, both parties had a hand in delaying the compromise, and the university haughtily attempted to charge ahead with its own plans.
There are also concerns about traffic flow in the area, a safety point raised by the Panoramic Hill Association. But instead of throwing themselves into the lawsuit mess, the practical approach would have been to compromise with the university.
