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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-24-2025 TC Minutes 1 Tree Committee Minutes March 24, 2025, 5:30 p.m. Council Hearing Room, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo Tree Committee Members Present: Member Alan Bate, Member Daniel Canella, Member Emily Rosten, Vice Chair Ben Parker Tree Committee Members Absent: Member Henry Bonifas, Member Brian Pineda, Chair Elizabeth Lucas City Staff Present: Urban Forest Program Coordinator / City Arborist Walter Gault, Deputy City Clerk Kevin Christian _____________________________________________________________________ 1. CALL TO ORDER A Regular Meeting of the San Luis Obispo Tree Committee was called to order on March 24, 2025, at 5:34 p.m. in the Council Hearing Room at City Hall, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, by Vice Chair Parker. 2. PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA Public Comment: Fitzgerald Kelly --End of Public Comment-- 3. CONSENT 3.a CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES - FEBRUARY 24, 2025, TREE COMMITTEE MINUTES Motion By Member Rosten Second By Member Bate Approve the Tree Committee Minutes of February 24, 2025. Ayes (4): Members Bate, Canella, Rosten, and Vice Chair Parker Absent (3): Members Bonifas and Pineda, and Chair Lucas CARRIED (4 to 0) 2 4. TREE REMOVAL APPLICATION 4.a REQUEST TO REMOVE 20 EXISTING TREES AND PROVIDE 45 COMPENSATORY TREE PLANTINGS AT 3450 BROAD STREET; THE PROJECT IS CATEGORICALLY EXEMPT FROM ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (TREE-0033-2025) Associate Planner Hannah Hanh presented the staff report and responded to Committee inquiries. Applicant representative, Tim Ronda, Principal Architect for Studio Design Group Architects, and Rob Maday, Principal Landscape Architect for Bosky Landscape Architecture, provided an overview of the Tree Removal Application and responded to specific questions raised. Vice Chair Parker opened Public Comment Public Comment: None --End of Public Comment-- Vice Chair Parker closed Public Comment Motion By Member Canella Second By Member Rosten Recommend the Planning Commission approve the proposed tree removals and compensatory plantings as they are consistent with requirements in San Luis Obispo Municipal Code Chapter 12.24 (Tree Regulations) with the following findings:  G(1) Size of Tree(s) – All twenty of the trees to be removed are smaller in scale and have lower visual prominence.  G(2) Location - Nine of the twenty trees are not highly visible from the Public Right-of-Way.  G(3) Species - All twenty of the proposed removals are non-native species and carry a lower preservation priority.  G(4) Forestry Best Practice – Thirteen of the twenty trees to be removed are in poor condition, seven are in fair condition, and the proposed replacement plantings will increase biodiversity and tree age distribution onsite. 3  G(6) Compensatory Plantings - The number (45) and size of the replacement trees (24-inch to 60-inch box) exceeds the minimum replacement requirements (1:1 and 15-gallon). Ayes (4): Members Bate, Canella, Rosten, and Vice Chair Parker Absent (3): Members Bonifas and Pineda, and Chair Lucas CARRIED (4 to 0) 5. COMMENT AND DISCUSSION 5.a ARBORIST REPORT Urban Forest Program Coordinator / City Arborist Walter Gault provided an update of upcoming projects and activities in the Tree Division. 6. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6:13 p.m. The next Regular Meeting of the Tree Committee is scheduled for April 28, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Hearing Room at City Hall, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo. _________________________ APPROVED BY TREE COMMITTEE: 04/28/2025