VENICE — The city’s Canary Island date palms on West Venice Avenue are being attacked by a wood-decaying fungus, say city staff, and it’s time to do something about it.

John Veneziano, newly hired public works director for the city of Venice, penned a memo to City Manager Ed Lavallee earlier this month recommending the city establish removal procedures that minimize the possibility of contaminating unaffected trees, replace the date palms with a more resistant palm, and even develop a policy for dealing with trees on private property.