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Home My WebLink AboutTC 08-28-2017 Tree Removal Applications, Cooper1 From:Allan Cooper < Sent:Thursday, August 24, 2017 6:38 PM To:Combs, Ron; Advisory Bodies Subject:Proposed Street Tree Removals Attachments:108_24_17...lettertotreecommittee.pdf Dear Ron - Would you kindly forward the letter attached below to the Tree Committee in time for them to see it before their Monday, August 28, 2017 meeting? Thanks! - Allan To: SLO Tree Committee Re: Street Tree Removals From: Allan Cooper, Secretary Save Our Downtown Date: August 24, 2017 Honorable Chair Loosley and Committee Members - At the July 24, 2017 Tree Committee meeting City Arborist Ron Combs correctly stated that he could not make his necessary ﬁndings for removal of the large, relatively healthy Carrotwood tree located at 774 Marsh Street. You are now considering the removal of nine mature street trees located in Downtown San Luis Obispo. Upon close examination, none of these trees are uplifting the sidewalk even though this is repeatedly stated in the arborist’s reports. I believe it is telling that there was included no photographic evidence of this supposed sidewalk uplift in your packet. Many of the Carrotwood trees have some die-back at the top but this could be remedied. These carrotwood trees are stressed due to prolonged drought but can recover with a deep soaking for 10 to 12 hours once per month. Carrotwoods are well-behaved street trees. They are slow growers of a limited size. They grow to about 30 feet tall and 25 feet across and do not need much pruning except to thin the tree out. They need little water except during prolonged droughts. Carrotwood trees have an average lifespan of 100+ years. It is low-maintenance, disease-resistant, frost and wind tolerant. But most importantly its surface roots do not lift sidewalks. They have deep roots that will not destroy paving. (see: http://marinatreeandgarden.org/treelist/cupaniopsis.html). Putting aside the health issues, the other argument for removing all of these trees is because the new sidewalk will be lowered to make way for pedestrian-friendly curbless streets. Because Carrotwood trees are deep rooted, their structural stability will not be compromised by placing them in raised tree rings (see below). ADA access will not be compromised because wheelchair access will no longer be conﬁned to the existing sidewalks nor will it be impeded by curbs. Removing the curbs and reducing the width of the street down to one lane makes Garden Street more accessible, not less. Now I would like to address each Carrotwood tree designated for removal. The Carrotwood at 1137 Garden is not uplifting the sidewalk, curb and gutter. The Carrotwood at 1114 Garden does indeed look sickly as the bark is spalling or ﬂaking which is indicative of root rot. This tree should be removed. The healthy Carrotwood in front of Marshall’s Jewelers (tree number 3) at the northwest corner of Garden Alley is not uplifting the sidewalk and the less healthy Carrotwood (tree number 2) at the southwest corner of Garden Alley is not uplifting the sidewalk. The Carrotwood at 1129 Garden is not uplifting the sidewalk. The Carrotwood at 1114 Garden St. has some die back at the top because it has been stressed due to recent drought conditions. This tree can be restored to health if and when it is properly irrigated. The Carrotwood in front the Granada Hotel at 1130 Morro should not be removed. The healthy Carrotwood on the southeast corner of Osos and Palm (976 Osos St.) is located along a red curb 20 feet from the bus stop sign and should therefore not interfere with the bus drop area. Moreover this tree has been pruned back from the curb so as to not interfere with a bus exiting this drop off area We are also urging you to deny the removal of the Melaleuca tree and Ficus tree located on Palm and Higuera Streets. The healthy Melaleuca tree located in front of 1001 Palm St. (which might have been incorrectly identiﬁed as being located at 976 Osos St.) could also be pruned back from the sidewalk to accommodate parked busses and should not be removed. The healthy Ficus tree in front of the Maino Building (787 Higuera St.) is not uplifting the sidewalk and should not be removed. The proposed sidewalk drain should be relocated. If we cannot convince you to preserve these trees then at the very least the recommended Jacaranda replacement trees should be much larger than the newly installed Jacaranda located in front of 1130 Garden Street. You should be recommending a 15 gallon or 48” box tree replacement. Aside from the esthetic beneﬁts of a larger tree, these trees are located in an area with a high concentration of bars where smaller, more fragile, trees can be (and have historically been) subjected to vandalism or worse, complete removal. Thank you!