HomeMy WebLinkAboutcc - Lopes (949 Higuera Tree Removal) 5/21/2018
From:CityClerk
To:James Lopes
Subject:RE: Proposed Tree Removals @ 949 Higuera Street
Dear Mr. Lopes,
Thank you for your input. Your message has been conveyed to City Council, the Tree Committee, and Tree Committee
staff.
City Clerk’s Office
City Administration
City Clerk's Office
990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3249
E cityclerk@slocity.org
T 805.781.7100
slocity.org
From: James Lopes <
Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2018 2:29 PM
To: Allan Cooper < ; Combs, Ron <rcombs@slocity.org>;
Advisory Bodies <advisorybodies@slocity.org>; CityClerk <CityClerk@slocity.org>
Subject: Re: Proposed Tree Removals @ 949 Higuera Street
Ron Combs
Tree Committee, City of San Luis Obispo
RE: 949 Higuera Street
Dear Chair Loosley and Committee Members:
Please retain the two trees requested for removal at 949 Higuera Street. As Allan Cooper demonstrated, the sidewalk is
not uprooted. The benefits of saving the trees were impressively documented by Mr. Cooper, and they far outweigh the
costs of maintaining the trees. As you did with the Granada Hotel, please consider requiring the applicant to trim the
trees under City supervision, if more light and visibility is desired. Thank you.
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James Lopes
On 5/19/2018 2:35 PM, Allan Cooper wrote:
Dear Ron -
Would you kindly forward this letter to the Tree Committee before their May 21,
2018 meeting? Thanks!
- Allan
To: SLO Tree Committee, Ron Combs & Mark Rawson
Re: Proposed Removal of Two Trees @ 949 Higuera Street
From: Allan Cooper, Secretary Save Our Downtown
Date: May 19, 2018
Chair Loosley and Committee Members -
Again Save Our Downtown is protesting the unnecessary removal of two healthy,
mature ficus trees located in in our Downtown Core. Jamestown Premier SLO Retail
LP is arguing that these trees are damaging the sidewalk. I’ve blown up images of
these two trees (see below attachments) so that you can see that there is no
disturbance to the sidewalks. Moreover, the applicant is arguing that these two
trees cannot be saved once the sidewalks are widened. Look at the two remaining
trees at the intersection of Higuera and Garden where the sidewalk is currently
being widened and you will see why we find this argument somewhat puzzling.
Needless to say, we are “preaching to the choir”, when we argue that mature trees
(not 24-inch box tree replacements) help to reduce the heat island effect, shade
the adjacent buildings in the summer, provide habitat for animals and increase
property values for its owners and neighbors.
In November 2001 a benefit-cost analysis was undertaken of Santa Monica’s
municipal forest (see:
https://www.fs.fed.us/psw/publications/mcpherson/psw_2001_mcpherson001.pdf).
This report found that for each $1 invested in urban forest management, benefits
valued at $1.61 were returned to the residents of Santa Monica. Where deodar
cedar and laurel fig are responsible for 25% of all tree benefits within the City of
Santa Monica, annual air pollutant uptake was 0.8 lb/tree with an implied value of
$9/tree, cooling savings from building shade and cooler summertime temperatures
were valued at 5 MBTU/tree or $5/tree, stormwater runoff was reduced by 1,856
gal/tree or $4/tree and atmospheric carbon dioxide was sequestered at 151 lb/tree
or $2/tree.
We are arguing that smaller trees can be less expensive to maintain than larger
trees, but also produce fewer benefits. We urge the City to continue experimenting
with strategies to reduce root-hardscape conflicts and reduce repair costs such as
meandering sidewalks around trees and resurfacing with rubberized “flexible”
paving. Also reducing pruning frequency and intensity will promote healthier trees.
All of this will provide greater benefits at less cost to the City. Thank you!
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