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TREE CONSIDERATIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS REPORT <br /> June, 2000 <br /> Background <br /> The "Tree Team" had its first meeting on September 24, 1999. At that time, it was felt that <br /> expectations /standards for protecting and planting trees during the design/construction process <br /> were unclear. The two divisions wanted to clarify roles and relationships, and decide whether <br /> there should be varying standards for different geographic areas, such as downtown or median <br /> strips. In the Privately- Engineered Public Improvement Process (PEPI) we needed to understand <br /> the standards for trees in or near the right -of -way. There was also a need to forecast the amount <br /> of resources needed to accomplish our objectives. <br /> The 1999 construction season included a couple of projects that were re- designed in the <br /> construction phase to protect tree root zones. The only way to identify whether construction will <br /> damage roots and negatively impact a tree is to investigate by digging around the base of each <br /> tree. For trees with root systems under streets and sidewalks, this may require removing the <br /> paving and base rock. Questions arose about the merits of waiting for the construction phase, or <br /> of cutting into the street before construction, the availability of the City's Urban Forester to make <br /> decisions in the scoping process as well as in the field, and where in the organization a tree <br /> cutting decision would be made. Additionally, the use of consultant arborists has been <br /> problematic due to the inconsistency of each one's approach to risk when confronted with <br /> decisions about tree removal. <br /> Problem Statement <br /> Public Works faces a decision about how best to incorporate tree infrastructure — preserving <br /> existing trees and planting new trees — into its existing process and value structures. In August, <br /> 1999, the City Council directed staff to revise the Tree Preservation Ordinance, incorporating <br /> recommendations for desired changes from the Eugene Tree Foundation's July, 1999 outline. <br /> The purpose of tree preservation, as stated in the April, 2000 draft ordinance is for: <br /> "(a) Maintaining and preserving minimum levels of trees throughout the community <br /> while achieving the city's goals for a healthy economy, affordable housing, and <br /> reduced sprawl; <br /> (b) Managing trees on public lands, including street trees and park land trees, in a <br /> manner designed to preserve existing trees and promote beautification in the city; <br /> (c) Mitigating the loss of the essential functions of the urban forest through the <br /> planting of new trees; <br /> (d) Ensuring a healthy future urban forest by protecting areas that contain mixed age <br /> stands, a diversity of tree species, and valuable forest soils, such as wildlife <br /> corridors and stream buffers; <br /> (e) Minimizing the unnecessary removal of trees by encouraging the integration of <br /> existing trees into site design; and <br /> (f) Establishing minimum measures for protection of trees during construction <br /> activity and minimum standards for planting replacement trees." <br /> 1 <br />