pre development arborist’s report for 608 locust street

Pre Development Arborist’s Report for

608 Locust StreetSausalito, CA 94965

Prepared for:

Nancy Eaton

May 9, 2013

Prepared By:

Richard GessnerRegistered Consulting Arborist ® #496

Board Certified Master Arborist WE-4341BTree Risk Assessment Qualified

©Copyright - Monarch Consulting Arborists LLC, 2013

Item 4- Page 41 of 97

mramiro

Typewritten Text

EXHIBIT D

Table of Contents...........................................................................................Summary ! 1

......................................................................................Introduction! 1

...................................................................................................Background! 1

....................................................................................................Assignment! 1

..............................................................................Limits of the assignment! 1

.....................................................................Purpose and use of the report! 1

....................................................................................Observations ! 2

............................................................................................Analysis ! 3

........................................................................................Discussion! 3

................................................................................................Tree Inventory! 3

............................................................................................Condition Rating! 4

...........................................................................Suitability for Preservation! 5

...................................................................................................Impact Level! 6

........................................................................................Conclusion! 7

...........................................................................Recommendations! 7

.....................................................................................Bibliography ! 8

............................................................................Glossary of Terms! 9

...............................................................Appendix A: Survey Map! 11

................................................Appendix B: Tree Inventory Table ! 12

.............................................................Appendix C: Photographs ! 15

................................................................................C1: Coast live oak 518! 15

................................................................................C2: Coast live oak 524! 16

608 Locust Street - Eaton Residence! May 9, 2013

Richard Gessner - Monarch Consulting Arborists LLC - (831) 331-8982 - [email protected] P.O. Box 1010 Felton, CA 95018


mailto:[email protected]


..............Qualifications, Assumptions, and Limiting Conditions ! 17

.........................................................Certification of Performance! 18


Richard Gessner - Monarch Consulting Arborists LLC - (831) 331-8982 - [email protected] P.O. Box 1010 Felton, CA 95018




SummaryThe property located at 608 Locust Street in Sausalito contains two coast live oaks (Quercus agrifolia), which are protected by the City of Sausalito. Both coast live oaks are in poor overall condition and poorly suited for preservation with structural defects and conditions that cannot be mitigated. Coast live oak number 518 will be highly affected by the development while number 524 will be moderately influenced depending on the design and demolition plans. The site contains an additional 27 trees not protected by the city ordinance composed primarily of Blackwoodwood acacia (Acacia melanoxylon). No tree protection measures are necessary if the two coast live oaks are to be removed and replaced as part of the overall project because all the trees will likely need to be removed.

IntroductionBackground

Nancy Eaton is submitting plans to renovate the property located at 608 Locust Street and asked if I could provide a tree inventory and arborist’s report for her project. I agreed to inventory and assess the trees on site and provide a report outlining my findings and recommendations.

Assignment

• Provide an arborist’s report that includes a survey of the protected trees within the project area. The survey is to include the species, size (trunk diameter), condition (health and structure), and suitability for preservation.

• Provide construction impact ratings for the trees that will be influenced by the project. • Provide a tree protection plan and guidelines if necessary.

Limits of the assignment

• No tree risk assessments were performed.• The report is based on the conceptual plans provided by John McCoy of McCoy Architecture.• The information in this report is limited to the condition of the trees during my last inspection

on April 22, 2013.

Purpose and use of the report

The report is intended to identify all the trees within the development area that could be affected by the project and document their characteristics. The report is to be used by Ms. Eaton and the City of Sausalito Planning Department to help determine what trees can be removed and what need to be retained and protected.


Richard Gessner - Monarch Consulting Arborists LLC - (831) 331-8982 - [email protected] 1P.O. Box 1010 Felton, CA 95018

Item 4- 4 of 97



ObservationsThe property at 608 Locust Street in Sausalito contains an old duplex building (Image 1). The western portion of the backyard contains fifteen blackwood acacia (Acacia melanoxylon) and faces east toward Richardson Bay. The acacia trunk diameters range from one to fifteen inches at four and one half feet above grade (DBH) and have been topped for view preservation purposes. There are three blackwood acacia along the property boundary between 608 and 614 Locust Street and one dracaena palm (Cordyline sp.). Along the northern side of the property are two small pittosporum (Pittosporum undulatum) and two bay laurel (Umbellularia californica) hedges. The property contains two coast live oaks with trunk diameters of ten and fifteen inches that are numbered on site with aluminum tags, numbers 518 and 524 respectively (Appendix A).

Coast live oak number 518 is located in the backyard behind the utility pole and leans approximately 45 degrees toward the south. The tree has been suppressed by the surrounding foliage and has a sparse crown (Appendix C1).

Coast live oak number 524 is located in the northeast corner of the property and is approximately 10 feet tall with a crown radius of about 15 feet. The tree has been repeatedly topped and the scaffold branches are stubbed off in various locations. Some new growth is infected with powdery mildew and other leaf diseases and the crown is sparse (Appendix C2).

Image 1: Duplex located at 608 locust street inside the white box.






AnalysisNo technical or biological analysis was performed for this assignment.

DiscussionTree Inventory

I inventoried and attached aluminum number tags to all the trees on site including the two protected coast live oaks. The City of Sausalito protects all coast live oaks with trunk diameters greater than four inches. The trees were measured on the uphill side with a Pro Tape™ Diameter Tape, made by Spencer Products Company, USA and the heights were measured using a Nikon Forestry 550 laser range finder before the recent tree work. Canopy radii were measured by walking off the distance from the base of the tree to the outer most leaf area, which was estimated on my average foot per step of roughly two feet.

Table 1: Below is the table of two protected trees inventoried and their measurements.

Tree Number DBH Height Canopy Radius

Coast live oak 518 10 20 10

Coast live oak 524 20 15 10

Table 1

There are 27 more trees on the property primarily composed of blackwood acacia and wild plum growing on the backyard slope. I have listed the protected and unprotected trees and their characteristics in Appendix B for reference.






Condition Rating

A tree’s condition is a determination of its overall health and structure based on five aspects: Roots, trunk, scaffold branches, twigs, and foliage. The assessment considered both the health and structure of the trees for a combined condition rating. The crown, trunk, trunk flare, and above ground roots were inspected from the ground.

• Exceptional = Good health and structure with significant size, location or quality.• Good = No apparent problems, good structure and health, good longevity for the site.• Fair = Minor problems, at least one structural defect or health concern, problems can be

mitigated through cultural practices such as pruning or a plant health care program.• Poor = Major problems multiple structural defects or declining health, not a good candidate

for retention.• Unstable = Extreme problems, irreversible decline, failing structure, or dead.

Table 2: The table below lists the trees and their condition rating:

Tree Number Conditioncoast live oak 518 Poor

coast live oak 524 Poor

Table 2

Both coast live oaks are in poor overall condition. Tree number 518 has a critical lean of approximately 45 degrees and has been growing suppressed under the blackwood acacias.

Tree number 524 has been repeatedly topped over the years and has a dense upper crown created by adventitious growth. There is powdery mildew or “witches broom” throughout the crown and the leaves are small and stunted. Several large cuts have been made to reduce the height of the tree leaving stubs throughout the crown.






Suitability for Preservation

A tree’s suitability for preservation is determined based on its health, structure, age, species characteristics, and longevity using a scale of good, fair, or poor. (Table 3) The following list defines the rating scale:

• Good = Trees with good health, structural stability and longevity.• Fair = Trees with moderate health or structural defects that can be mitigated through treatment.• Poor = Trees in poor health with significant structural defects that cannot be mitigated and will

continue to decline, or longevity and locations are undesirable for the future site use.

Table 3: The table below lists the trees and their suitability rating:

Tree Number Suitability for Preservation

Comments

coast live oak 518 Poor The tree has a critical lean of approximately 45 degrees.

coast live oak 524 Poor The tree has been repeatedly topped and has the potential to obstruct the views from three residences.

Table 3

Tree number 518 has a critical lean that cannot be mitigated through treatment.

Tree number 524 has been repeatedly topped and its location in front of the property is poor. The tree has to be topped to maintain the views from the properties above. Because the growth habit of the coast live oak is to grow tall and wide it is poorly suited for this location and may create a maintenance burden.






Impact Level

Impact level defines how a tree may be influenced by construction activity and proximity to the tree, and is described as low, moderate, or high (Table 4). The following scale defines the impact rating:

• Low = The construction activity will have little impact on the tree.• Moderate = The construction may cause future health or structural problems, and steps must be

taken to protect the tree to reduce future problems.• High = Tree structure and health will be compromised and removal is recommended, or other

actions must be taken for the tree to remain. The tree is located in the building envelope.

Table 3: Impact ratings for the existing trees near the pool area.

Tree Number Impact Rating Commentscoast live oak 518 High The current location of

the west wall will negatively impact the tree and could create greater potential for failure.

coast live oak 524 Moderate/High The current excavation and reconstruction of the stairway will encroach in into the current root area.

Table 4

The new development footprint will negatively impact both the protected trees on the property.

Tree number 518 will be highly impacted by the project and it will not be possible to construct the building due to the proximity to the tree.

Tree number 524 will either be highly or moderately impacted depending on the design of the stairwell and the removal of the current stairwell. This tree may also not be compatible with a new landscape design.






ConclusionThe property contains two coast live oaks protected by the City of Sausalito tree protection ordinance. Both coast live oaks are in poor overall condition and poorly suited for preservation. Coast live oak number 518 will be highly impacted by the development and number 524 will be moderately influenced depending on the design and demolition plans. The two coast live oaks meet the City of Sausalito’s findings for tree removal in ordinance 11.12.030 (B) Criteria for Grant or Denial of Application for Removal or Alteration of Protected Trees subsection 1(b) which states “To allow reasonable enjoyment of the property, including sunlight, and the right to develop the property.” The remaining 27 trees on site are not protected by the city ordinance. No tree protection measures are necessary if the two coast live oaks are to be removed and replaced as part of the overall project and new landscape design.

Table 5: The table below shows the characteristics for the two protected trees.Tree Number DBH Height Canopy

RadiusCondition Suitability Impact

Coast live oak Quercus agrifolia

518 10 20 10 Poor Poor High


524 15 15 10 Poor Poor Moderate

Table 5

Recommendations• Submit a protected tree removal application as part of the project planning submittal and

demolition plan.

• After approval from the City of Sausalito remove the trees on site prior to new construction.

• Provide the City of Sausalito with a replanting plan or new landscape design to mitigate the removal of the two protected trees.






BibliographyClark, James R., and Nelda P. Matheny. A Photographic Guide to the Evaluation of Hazard Trees

in Urban Areas. Bedminster, PA: International Society Of Arboriculture, 1994. Print.

Costello, Laurence Raleigh, Bruce W. Hagen, and Katherine S. Jones. Oaks in the urban landscape: selection, care, and preservation. Oakland, CA: University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, 2011. Print.

ISA. Glossary of Arboricultural Terms. Champaign: International Society of Arboriculture, 2011. Print.

Matheny, Nelda P. Trees and development: A technical guide to preservation of trees during land development. Bedminster, PA: International Society of Arboriculture, 1998. Print.

Peattie, Donald Culross. A Natural History of Western Trees. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1991. Print.






Glossary of TermsAdventitious growth: Shoot arising from a latent or adventitious bud. The shoot usually arises from a place other than a leaf axil or shoot tip, usually a result of hormonal triggers.

Canopy: Collective branches and foliage of a tree or group of trees’ crowns. Aggregate or collective tree crowns.

Critical lean: A stem that leans more than 45 degrees from vertical.

Crown: Upper part of a tree, measured from the lowest branch, including all the branches and foliage.

(DBH) Diameter at breast height: Measures at 1.4 meters (4.5 feet) above ground in the United States, Australia (arboriculture), New Zealand, and when using the Guide for Plant Appraisal, 9th edition; at 1.3 meters (4.3 feet) above ground in Australia (forestry), Canada, the European Union, and in UK forestry; and at 1.5 meters (5 feet) above ground in UK arboriculture.

Defect: An imperfection, weakness, or lack of something necessary. In trees defects are injuries, growth patterns, decay, or other conditions that reduce the tree’s structural strength.

Powdery mildew: Any of various fungi or the Erysiphe producing powdery conidia that appear as a white fuzzy coating on the upper leaf surfaces, often causing distortion of the leaf.

Scaffold branches: Permanent or structural branches that for the scaffold architecture or structure of a tree.

Stub: A short piece remaining on a stem or trunk where a branch has been lost.

Suppressed: Growth severely restricted by competing trees. Stand classification term.

Topping: Inappropriate pruning technique to reduce tree size. Cutting back a tree to a predetermined crown limit, often at internodes.

Tree Risk Assessment: Process of evaluating what unexpected things could happen, how likely it is, and what the likely outcomes are. In tree management, the systematic process to determine the level of risk posed by a tree, tree part, or group of trees.

Trunk: The stem of a tree, bole or stem. Woody structure bearing foliage and buds that give rise to other branches or stems.






Trunk flare: Transition zone from trunk to roots where the trunk expands into the buttress or structural roots.

This Glossary of terms was adapted from the Glossary of Arboricultural Terms (ISA, 2011)






Appendix A: Survey Map

Map provided by Linda A. Carruthers & Associates, October 2012. Map not to scale. The arrows indicate the locations and numbers of the protected trees.



#518

#524

#501#502

#503#504

#505 #506

#507

#508

#509#510 #511#512 #513

#515 #514 #516

#517

#519#520

#521

#522 #523

#525#526#527#528

#529




Appendix B: Tree Inventory TableTree Number Diameter

at 4.5 feetHeight (ft) Canopy

Radius (ft)Condition Suitability Impact

Blackwood acacia Acacia melanoxylon

501 6.5 16 6 Good Poor High




503 5 15 6 Good Poor High



Wattle Acacia longifolia

505 2, 2, 2, 2, 1 8 4 Fair Poor High


506 3, 3, 3, 4.5, 4, 4

10 8 Fair Poor High

Red flowering gum Corymbia ficifolia





509 3.5 35 5 Poor Poor High










Tree Number Diameter at 4.5 feet

Height (ft) Canopy Radius (ft)

Condition Suitability Impact









Plum Prunus sp.






Plum Prunus sp.

519 8 25 15 Dead Poor High

Plum Prunus sp.

520 14 25 15 Dead Poor High


521 9, 5, 6 35 15 Poor Poor High

Plum Prunus sp.

522 10 20 8 Fair Poor High

Plum Prunus sp.

523 9 25 8 Fair Poor High


524 15 15 10 Poor Poor Moderate

Bay laurel Umbellularia californica

525 4, 4 15 8 Poor Poor High

Pittosporum Pittosporum undulatum







Tree Number Diameter at 4.5 feet

Height (ft) Canopy Radius (ft)

Condition Suitability Impact

Pittosporum Pittosporum undulatum

527 3, 1 12 8 Poor Poor High

Bay laurel Umbellularia californica

528 1,1, 3, 4, 5 15 8 Poor Poor High








Appendix C: PhotographsC1: Coast live oak 518

The three photos above are of coast live oak number 518 and the arrow indicate the tree.






C2: Coast live oak 524

The two photos above are of the coast live oak on the northeast corner of the property.






Qualifications, Assumptions, and Limiting ConditionsAny legal description provided to the consultant is assumed to be correct. Any titles or ownership of properties are assumed to be good and marketable. All property is appraised or evaluated as though free and clear, under responsible ownership and competent management.

All property is presumed to be in conformance with applicable codes, ordinances, statutes, or other regulations.

Care has been taken to obtain information from reliable sources. However, the consultant cannot be responsible for the accuracy of information provided by others.

The consultant shall not be required to give testimony or attend meetings, hearings, conferences, mediations, arbitration, or trials by reason of this report unless subsequent contractual arrangements are made, including payment of an additional fee for such services.

This report and any appraisal value expressed herein represent the opinion of the consultant, and the consultant’s fee is not contingent upon the reporting of a specified appraisal value, a stipulated result, or the occurrence of a subsequent event.

Sketches, drawings, and photographs in this report are intended for use as visual aids, are not necessarily to scale, and should not be construed as engineering or architectural reports or surveys. The reproduction of information generated by architects, engineers, or other consultants on any sketches, drawings, or photographs is only for coordination and ease of reference. Inclusion of said information with any drawings or other documents does not constitute a representation as to the sufficiency or accuracy of said information.

Unless otherwise expressed: a) this report covers only examined items and their condition at the time of inspection; and b) the inspection is limited to visual examination of accessible items without dissection, excavation, probing, or coring. There is no warranty or guarantee, expressed or implied, that structural problems or deficiencies of plants or property may not arise in the future.






Certification of PerformanceI Richard Gessner, Certify:

That I have personally inspected the tree(s) and/or the property referred to in this report, and have stated my findings accurately. The extent of the evaluation and/or appraisal is stated in the attached report and Terms of Assignment;

That I have no current or prospective interest in the vegetation or the property that is the subject of this report, and I have no personal interest or bias with respect to the parties involved;

That the analysis, opinions and conclusions stated herein are my own;

That my analysis, opinions, and conclusions were developed and this report has been prepared according to commonly accepted Arboricultural practices;

That no one provided significant professional assistance to the consultant, except as indicated within the report.

That my compensation is not contingent upon the reporting of a predetermined conclusion that favors the cause of the client or any other party, nor upon the results of the assessment, the attainment of stipulated results, or the occurrence of any other subsequent events;

I further certify that I am a Registered Consulting Arborist® with the American Society of Consulting Arborists, and that I acknowledge, accept and adhere to the ASCA Standards of Professional Practice. I am an International Society of Arboriculture Board Certified Master Arborist® and a Certified Tree Risk Assessor. I have been involved with the practice of Arboriculture and the care and study of trees since 1998.

Richard J. Gessner

ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist® #496ISA Board Certified Master Arborist® WE-4341BTree Risk Assessment Qualified

Copyright

© Copyright 2013, Monarch Consulting Arborists LLC. Other than specific exception granted for copies made by the client for the express uses stated in this report, no parts of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording, or otherwise without the express, written permission of the author.







mramiro

Typewritten Text

BLANK

mramiro

Typewritten Text

mramiro

Typewritten Text


mramiro

Typewritten Text

EXHIBIT E

McCoy

Architecture

McCoy Architecture, Inc. 415-332-9910 [email protected]

February 14, 2017 Community Development Department 420 Litho St. Sausalito, CA 94965 Project Address: 608 Locust Street To whom it may concern, As the applicant for this project, myself and my client have engaged in a thorough neighborhood outreach effort. The outreach process began in June of 2012 and has included a minimum of two dozen meetings with interested neighbors. These discussions remain ongoing. Below is a synopsis of only the noticed and individual meetings:

June26, 2012 – Letters were mailed to all property owners within a 300’ radius of the subject property per a mailing list supplied by the City of Sausalito Community Development Department. These letters invited all interested persons to an open meeting to review preliminary ideas for the remodel / addition at 608 Locust Street to be held on July 14th, 2012 at the offices of McCoy Architecture.

July 14, 2012 – An open meeting to all interested neighbors held at the offices of McCoy Architecture.

October / November 2012 – Interested Neighbors were invited to review a revised preliminary design at the offices of McCoy Architecture.

December 2012 – Meetings were held individually with interested neighbors to review the revised preliminary designs.

April – July 2013 – Individual meetings have been held with interested neighbors and their architectural representatives; on-site, at various neighbor’s properties as well as at the offices of McCoy Architecture, to review additional revision to our design concepts.

November 29, 2016 – Letters were mailed to all property owners within a 300’ radius of the subject property per a mailing list supplied by the City of Sausalito.

October / November – Preliminary discussions were held individually with interested neighbors to review the revised preliminary designs.

December 15, 2016 – Interested Neighbors were invited to review a revised design at the offices of McCoy Architecture

December 2016 – February 2017 - Meetings were held individually with interested neighbors to review the revised preliminary designs.


mramiro

Typewritten Text

EXHIBIT F

McCoy

Architecture

McCoy Architecture, Inc. 415-332-9910 [email protected]

An application for planning approval was submitted in 2013 and withdrawn to enable further discussion with the neighbors. The design has under significant revisions to the style and scale. These changes have been made to reduce the visual impact of the project, keep it within character of the neighborhood, maintain privacy between the properties, and to maximize view opportunities for the neighbors. We continue to meet and discuss this project with the neighbors in the effort to design a project that meets our programming goals and minimizes any potential negative impacts to the surrounding community. Sketches of the previous designs are shown below to indicate the changes in scale and character of the design to respond to neighborhood comments.

We have endeavored to work with the neighbors over the past several years to create a project that works well within the neighborhood. The current design improves the view corridors for the neighbors while protecting their privacy and working within the established character of this section of Sausalito. Sincerely,

John McCoy, AIA

McCoy Architecture, Inc


pre development arborist’s report for 608 locust street

Documents