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• October 30, 1996 TO: Bob Hibschman FROM: Scott Plamondon SUBJECT: Trees at City Owned Lincoln /Charnelton Development Site The following are my concerns regarding the tree preservation and removal proposals associated with the new parking and apartment construction project located on public property at Broadway and Charnelton. I've divided my comments into a section dealing with street trees abutting the development site and a section dealing with the trees within the development side. STREET TREES ABUTTING THE DEVELOPMENT SITE There are five street trees abutting this project. Three of the street trees have Heritage Class status, two Big -Leaf Maples and one Black Walnut. These Heritage Class trees have a value of $15,164; $19,545; and $13,800 respectively. Undisturbed, the Heritage Big Leaf Maple trees are likely to live another 10 -20 years and the Heritage Black Walnut 20-40 years. In addition there is an English Walnut and a Red Maple abutting this site on SW Lincoln which are not the size class to be designated as Heritage trees. The English Walnut has a value of $2,363 and the Red Maple has a value of $670. After evaluating the trees and discussing the proposal with your private arborist, I feel that the construction of the proposed structure will seriously affect the health and stability of these five trees. My recommendation would be for the removal of the two Heritage Big Leaf Maples if the construction proceeds. The English Walnut is a poor species for a street tree and a replacement tree will provide greater long term benefit, and the Red Maple is small and a replacement tree would fit better in the streetscape design. While the Heritage Black Walnut may need to be removed, since it is further from the proposed foundation, we should wait until construction starts to make this determination. If the excavation does not have a major impact on the root system, and with protection measures implemented during construction, the Heritage Black Walnut may be preserved with a life expectancy of 10+ years. Urban Forestry Management Plan (UFMP) Policy 15.0 states: "The City will retain heritage trees on street rights-of-way, in parks and on other City property, except when otherwise necessary for the public health, safety, or welfare." Municipal Code Section 6.305 (4) states: "no person shall fell a heritage tree from within the public right -of -way except where such removal, and authorization for its removal, has been granted by the city because its removal is necessary to protect the public health, safety, or welfare." From my limited perspective as Urban Forester, I'm unable to make a statement that the removal of these Heritage Trees from public property is necessary to protect the public health, safety, or welfare. In order to obtain a permit to remove these trees you will first need to obtain a determination from someone such as the City Manager that the removal is necessary for the public health, safety, or welfare. If this determination is obtained we would then be able to process a permit for their removal.