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Home My WebLink About8/18/2020 Item 16, Codron Council Agenda Correspondence City of San Luis Obispo, Council Memorandum DATE:August 17, 2020 TO:Mayor and Council FROM: Michael Codron,Community Development Director Prepared By:Kyle Bell, Associate Planner VIA:Derek Johnson, City Manager SUBJECT:Item #16ARCH-1687-2018, PDEV-0509-2019, & EID-0475-2019 (1144 Chorro) –A summary and evaluation of the comments from the Tree Committeehearing. Tree CommitteeDirectionalItems On August 10, 2020, the TreeCommittee (TC) reviewed the design of the project for consistency with the policies and standards set forth in San Luis Obispo Municipal Code (SLOMC) §12.24 (Tree Regulations). The TCunanimously recommended sevenitemsbe incorporated into the draft resolution for Council consideration. TCDirectional Item #1:The recommended size of the trees along the street is a 36-inch box. TCDirectional Item #2:The applicant should consider planting a variety other than jacaranda along Marsh. Street and consider using a deciduous tree like Red Oak or Ginko Biloba. TCDirectional Item #3:The proposed street trees shall be planted with structural soils. TC Directional Item #4:Irrigation should be available for existing trees during construction and set up for the new trees. TC Directional Item #5:Allow for larger cutouts in the sidewalk to accommodate both the existing and new trees. Response:Staff recommends incorporation of a new condition into the draft resolution to address the increase in street tree planting size, additional diversity of planting, and structural soils. New Condition No. 46states:The building plan submittal shall include fournew 36-inch box or larger street trees with tree wells, grates,and guards to the approval of the City Arborist and in accordance with City Engineering Standards. Tree speciesshall incorporate deciduous trees along Marsh Street to increase diversity (i.e. Red Oak or Ginkgo trees)and sizes and all associated planting requirements shall be per City Engineering Standards, and shall incorporate the use of structural soilsand irrigation as appropriate, subject to the approval of the City Arborist and Community Development Director, as appropriate. TC Directional Item #6:Conditions of approval shall incorporate a tree protection plan that identifies protection measures and requires inspections by the City Arborist. Staff Agenda Correspondence Item 16-Tree Committee Comments Summary Page 2 August 17, 2020 Response:The draft resolution already includes a condition that addresses tree protection plans and arborist inspections, which addressesthis directional item.Condition No. 48states:Tree protection measures shall be implemented to the satisfaction of the City Arborist. The City Arborist shall review and approve the proposed tree protection measures prior to commencing with any demolition, grading, or construction. The City Arborist shall approve any safety pruning, the cutting of substantial roots, or gradingwithin the dripline of trees. A City-approved arborist shall complete safety pruning. Any required tree protection measures shall be shown or noted on the building plans. TC Directional Item #7:Compensatory planting for the removal of street trees shall not consider upper level balcony planting to satisfy the 1:1 ratio requirement. Response:Staff has noted this interpretation by the Tree Committee, and the project provides a compensatory planting plan ratio of 1:1 without consideration of the trees along the upper level terrace.The project includes compensatory planting along the street frontage by providing four new trees (currently proposed as Jacaranda) for the removal of four existing trees on-site (one Bottle tree, two Carrotwood trees, and one Palm tree). Attachment A–Draft Tree Committee Minutes of August 10, 2020 TREE COMMITTEE Minutes Monday,August10, 2020 SpecialMeeting of the Tree Committee CALL TO ORDER ASpecial Meeting of the San Luis Obispo Tree Committeewas called to order on Monday,August 10, 2020at 5:30p.m.via teleconferencebyChair Alan Bate. ROLL CALL Present:Committee Members Scott Loosley,Elizabeth Lucas,Allen Root(5:35pm), Vice Chair Jane Worthy, Chair Alan Bate T Absent:Committee Membersand Rodney Thurman Staff:Ron Combs, City Arborist; Kyle Bell, Associate Planner; Rachel Cohen, Associate Planner;and Megan Wilbanks, Deputy City Clerk F APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1.Consideration of the Tree Committee Meeting Minutes of May 20, 2020. ACTION: UPON MOTION OF COMMITTEE MEMBER LOOSLEY,SECONDED BY A COMMITTEE MEMBER LUCASCARRIED 4-0-3 and Thurman absent)the Tree Committee approved the Minutes of May 20, 2020. BUSINESS ITEMS R 2.New Business: a.Review of four tree removals and replanting plan of 12 trees as part of a mixed-use project located at 1144 Chorro Street consisting of approximately 30,000 square feet of commercial/office space and 50 residential dwelling units, within the Downtown Historic District. D Associate Planner, Kyle Bell, provided a presentation and responded to Committee inquiries. Applicant representative, Mark Rawson with Copeland Properties,provided a presentation and responded to Committee inquiries. Minutes Tree CommitteeSpecial Meeting of August10, 2020Page 1 Public Comment: None --End of Public Comment-- ACTION: UPON MOTION OF COMMITTEE MEMBER LOOSLEY,SECONDED BY COMMITTEE MEMBER ROOTCARRIED 5-0-2 Thurman absent)torecommend that the City Council approve the requested tree removal with the following recommendations: Use large deciduous trees along the street. Allow for larger cutouts in the sidewalk to accommodate boththe existing and new trees. The contractor should utilize engineered structural soil. The recommended size of the treesalong the street is a36-inchbox. The applicant should consider planting a variety other than jacarandaalong Marsh. Streetand consider using a deciduous treelikeRed Oak or Ginko Biloba. Develop a Tree Protection Plan with the City Arborist. T Irrigation should be available forexisting trees during construction and set up forthe new trees. Balcony trees should notbeconsidered part of the 1:1ratio for replacing removed trees along the street. F b.Review of a proposed tree removal of 206 onsite trees and replanting plan of 314 trees as part of a mixed-use project located at 650 Tank Farm Road that includes 249 residential units and 17,500 square feet of commercial space. Associate Planner, Rachel Cohen,provided a presentationand responded to Committee A inquiries. Applicant representative, Jake Minnick with RRM Design Group, provided a presentation and responded to Committee inquiries. R Public Comment: None --End of Public Comment-- ACTION: UPON MOTION OF COMMITTEE MEMBER LOOSLEY,SECONDED BY D COMMITTEE MEMBER LUCASCARRIED 4-1-0 (Chair Bate recused due to a conflict of interest)torecommend that the Planning Commission approve the requested tree removal with the following recommendations: Replacement trees should be placed in a minimum of24-inchboxwithfocal point trees planted in36-inchboxes AnyOlivevarieties planted on the site should be Swan Hillfruitless olive Minutes Tree CommitteeSpecial Meeting ofAugust 10, 2020Page 2 Trees on the boundary that can be retained should bereassessedat the time of demolition. Consider retainingthe mature trees along the boundary of the Damon Garcia Soccer Fieldand the eastern edge of the Lazy Acres RV storage area 3.Old Business: 150 Chorro St. (Black walnut tree) City Arborist Combs provided a presentation and responded to Committee inquiries. COMMENT & DISCUSSION 4.Arborists Report: a.Urban Forest Services staffing update Steve Williams transferred to the Street Department. Mike Johnson is also planning to leave the department. Due to COVID-19, it has been extremely difficult to backfill those positions. City Arborist Combs is considering retirement in December 2020. T b.San Luis Obispo Commemorative Grove update Currently not accepting any more applications. c.Tree Removal application fee changed to $157.17 to reflect the Consumer Price Index F increase. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:08p.m.The next SpecialMeeting of the Tree Committee is A scheduled for Tuesday, August 25, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. via teleconference. APPROVED BY THE TREE COMMITTEE: XX/XX/2020 R D Minutes Tree CommitteeSpecial Meeting ofAugust 10, 2020Page 3